Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/7189850.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Shingeki_no_Kyojin_|_Attack_on_Titan
  Relationship:
      Levi/Eren_Yeager
  Character:
      Mikasa_Ackerman, Levi_(Shingeki_no_Kyojin), Eren_Yeager, Armin_Arlert,
      Hanji_Zoe, Erwin_Smith, Nile_Dok, Jean_Kirstein, 104th_Training_Corps
  Additional Tags:
      Alpha/Beta/Omega_Dynamics, Alpha_Levi_(Shingeki_no_Kyojin), Omega_Eren,
      Canon-Typical_Violence, Alternate_Universe_-_Canon_Divergence, Rape/Non-
      con_Elements, Mates, Mating, Mating_Cycles/In_Heat, Mating_Bites, Biting,
      Anal_Sex, Anal_Fingering, Gay_Sex, Oral_Sex, Swearing, Consensual_Sex,
      Romance, Angst, Violence, Fluff, Smut, Mpreg, Implied/Referenced_Rape/
      Non-con, Birth, Emotional_Hurt/Comfort, Emotional_Manipulation,
      Emotional/Psychological_Abuse, Graphic_Mpreg, Graphic_Description, Non-
      Graphic_Rape/Non-Con, Top_Levi_(Shingeki_no_Kyojin), Bottom_Eren_Yeager,
      Knotting
  Stats:
      Published: 2016-06-14 Completed: 2016-09-14 Chapters: 23/23 Words: 169195
****** A Place for Hearts to Rest ******
by Addinavi, XanderB
Summary
     Levi is Eren's captain, and Eren assumed it would always be that way.
     Captain and subordinate, the way it was meant to be. But, when Eren's
     heat hits and the two can't resist each other, will the change be for
     the better, or the worse? Especially with the extraordinary
     circumstances that follow. There were orders they were meant to
     follow, rules that were not meant to be broken, and repercussions
     that would be dire, but no one can withstand the battering of wild
     instincts indefinitely and even taciturn captains sometimes have slip
     ups.
     Only with the help of their friends are they able to come to terms
     with the sticky situation they'd managed to get themselves into. But,
     will it be enough to save them?
      
     *Disclaimer* : We don't own Shingeki no Kyojin, nor do we make any
     profit off the writing of this fic.
Notes
     Alrighty, so this epic tale began as an rp between Ambrxiary and I
     and it turned out so awesome, we just had to turn it into a fic to
     share with all of you. Please heed the tags. There is darkness in
     this fic and it gets worse before it gets better. You've all been
     warned.
     That being said, I hope all of you brave souls that stick around
     through this will enjoy it as much as we did writing it.
     Comments and kudos are welcome and encouraged.
     Thanks for reading!
***** Heartstrings *****
Eren was sitting on the examination table, arms wrapped around himself self-
consciously while Hanji poked and prodded at him. It didn’t help that he could
feel a certain pair of grey eyes staring at him the whole time, especially when
Hanji lifted up his shirt, exposing his vulnerable belly and chest.
Levi leaned against the wall across from the examination table Hanji had Eren
sitting on while she examined the teen thoroughly. The alpha's silver gaze
watched her movements intently even though his expression remained unchanged
from it's normal stoicism, his arms crossed over his chest in a somewhat
relaxed pose, the inexplicable tenseness he felt well-hidden beneath the layers
of ingrained apathy he often exhibited. He ran his tongue over dry lips and
breathed a nearly inaudible sigh. "How much longer is this going to take,
Shitty-glasses?"
“Not much longer now,” Hanji replied distractedly. She pulled away from Eren
before she took off her glasses, wiping them off on her jacket as she squinted
at the boy still seated awkwardly before her. “It’s just as I suspected, Levi,”
Hanji stated as she placed her glasses back on the bridge of her nose, “An
omega.”
Eren closed his eyes as her words washed over him, taking in a deep breath. He
knew what being classified as an omega meant for him, and it would only make
things harder for everybody. 
Levi let out a noncommittal hum of acknowledgement. They'd been hoping alpha or
at least beta for the shifter's dynamic, but nothing could be done about the
fact that Eren had turned out to be neither. There had been suspicions as Hanji
had implied previous to the examination. The raven shifted, straightening from
his leaning position and fighting against the urge to run a hand through his
fringe as the information sunk in. "Well, nothing to be done about it. Any idea
how long it'll be before his first heat cycle?" he questioned as if he was
asking after something mundane like the weather when he was actually nervous
about her answer. He was responsible for the boy, after all and he was an
unmated alpha; sure, he had a lot of self-restraint, but even he had doubts
about whether he could resist Eren if the kid went into heat around him. He
already had an unadmitted fondness for the brat that was hard enough to keep
hidden let alone if Eren started spreading lusty pheromones around.
“Not long, I'd assume,” Hanji replied quietly, sniffing the air a bit. “I can
already smell the heat pheromones, though I do have an unusually good nose for
a beta,” she joked before turning serious again, “It’ll be soon, though. A week
or so I'd estimate, maybe even earlier.”
Her response to the captain made Eren tense up and he finally opened his eyes.
“But I can’t be mated, the Commander said,” he whispered, voice hoarse. For
some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to look into the alpha's icy grey eyes,
too embarrassed to see the captain's likely disappointment. He was ashamed to
be an omega who couldn’t even be mated. What good was he as an omega if he was
a damn shifter? It was a waste of omega genes in his opinion, and probably in
Levi’s, too.
The dark-haired alpha watched Eren closely and clicked his tongue in response
to both Hanji's words and the brat's. "Start him on suppressants then. That's
what eyebrows said to do if he turned out to be an omega. As for mating, you're
better off without, kid. You don't need to be under anyone else's thumb," he
said, fully backing his own words as his gaze settled on Eren and didn't waver.
It was clear in Eren's body language and the bitter undertones of his voice
that he was upset with the results of the examination. Levi found that he would
rather have Eren remain unmated than imagine the brat mated to anyone, though
he forcibly refused to acknowledge why that was.
“Yes, suppressants will hopefully work for now, but,” Hanji looked down, then
up again, her glasses sliding up and down on her nose with the motion, “As far
as we've been told, Eren won’t ever be allowed to have children. Erwin and I
decided it may be better if we give Eren an overdose of the extra strength
suppressants in order to make it safer for Eren in the long run if he
eventually does end up in heat. But, it’s Eren’s choice,” she added at the end,
looking at the boy in question. “The extremely high dosage would most likely
leave you infertile.”
“Infertile as in... I'll never even be able to get pregnant?” the brunette
youth asked quietly, and he couldn’t help it when he looked up at Levi, almost
expecting some reaction from him. Though, he couldn't even fathom what reaction
he was hoping to see from the taciturn alpha.
Levi's lips thinned to an unimpressed line and his brow furrowed just the
slightest, delicate frown lines appearing on his forehead as his jaw clenched,
but he didn't say anything. It was Eren's choice, as Hanji had said. It didn't
matter if he thought it was too much or if he believed it was unfair. It wasn't
as if Eren had had the choice in being a shifter nor in his dynamic, yet they
were giving him the choice to sterilize himself as if that were the best course
of action. It shouldn't even matter since he was already forbidden from mating
in the first place. His hands twitched and he fisted them against his sides
beneath the tight cross of his arms. He fought the instinct to step in; it
wasn't his decision. If he were Eren's alpha, he'd never allow it. The thought
blindsided him and his eyes widened minutely as realization dawned on him.
Clearly, the scent Hanji mentioned Eren emitting was affecting him and he
hadn't even noticed. It must be; why else would such a thought have entered his
mind? "Is that really necessary?" he found himself asking even though he really
really hadn't meant to voice anything at all.
“It’s not necessary, but it is the safest course of action. I don’t think Eren
wants to be a virgin forever, now do you, Eren?” Hanji asked with the hint of a
cheeky smile on her lips.
“Uhm-I mean I--” Eren looked down at his lap, obviously uncomfortable and
embarrassed. Who in the hell would he be having sex with, anyway? “I guess
not...” He didn’t look up from his lap, his dark cinnamon brows furrowed in
concentration. And on top of it, he really hadn’t planned on having children.
After all, he didn’t want to give reason to be executed by the military police
if he ever did get pregnant; that wouldn’t be fair to any child Eren may
produce. This wasn’t fair to anyone, was it? Even if he was allowed to have
children some day, he wouldn’t know how to take care of them, especially in the
current world they were living in. “I guess... It would be the best choice in
the long run.”
Levi bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted metal, closing his eyes
briefly and inhaling deeply through his nose though all of it was done in
silence. He could hear the defeated acceptance in Eren's tone. No doubt, Eren
believed it would be best for everyone around him, probably didn't even really
realize the impact it might have on himself someday. It was an instinct in
omegas to breed as they grew older. Eren might not be feeling the urge yet, but
he would and if he did this now, he wouldn't be able to take it back later, but
Levi had to let it go. He didn't have a right to speak on the matter; Eren was
not his omega. What would it matter anyways; it wasn't really likely that any
of them would survive the year with how their numbers were dwindling rapidly.
Eren might have repaired the damage to one wall, but it was only a matter of
time before the others were falling. "Whatever. Do as you like, just hurry it
up. We've got things to do," he said in a harsher tone than he'd meant to,
looking away from the pair in the hopes of hiding the scowl he could feel
curling his lips.
Eren’s fingers curled into his pant legs, body hunching over a bit in response
to Levi’s words. “Sorry, Captain. I don’t mean to inconvenience you..” The
time, he meant. The time he was taking up, not that Eren being infertile would
ever inconvenience Levi in any way. Why would it?
“It won’t take long. We’ve just got to give him a couple of shots. Levi, you
can stay and watch if you’d like, or you can wait outside,” the beta scientist
stated, unaffected by the bite in the alpha's tone, “Whatever you'd prefer. We
already know shots don’t make Eren shift, so you don't need to be present. I
wouldn’t want you to get uncomfortable.”
“Why would he be uncomfortable? It’s just a shot,” Eren mumbled, not really
looking at either of the adults. Hanji shook her head.
“The injections are administered in a rather sensitive area,” she explained and
Eren’s cheeks immediately went beet red at the implication.
The raven alpha shook his head minutely. "It's fine, kid. Let's just get it
over with so we can go get dinner,” he said flatly, brushing off the sincere
apology Eren had voiced before Hanji had brought up the shots that were
necessary.
"I'll stay." he didn't care if it was inappropriate or even if it made the
omega uncomfortable; there was no way he was leaving the room until this shit
was all over with. His instincts wouldn't even consider allowing it. It always
irritated him and put him on edge whenever Hanji was poking Eren with anything
remotely pointy or dangerous and knowing what was in those damn shots, he
couldn't possibly convince himself it would be best to leave Eren unsupervised
with the eccentric woman. His gaze flickered over the pair, lingering on the
youth a few seconds longer than it really should have before he looked away
again.
“Sir-“ Eren whimpered, but he knew he couldn’t talk back to his superior. Hell,
he wouldn’t even dream of talking back to Levi. He looked down, body still as
tense as before, and only became more so when he began to remove his pants upon
Hanji’s request. He could still feel Levi’s eyes on him, and he couldn’t stop
shaking when he rolled over on his side. He was curled up, facing Levi, but his
bare ass was facing the now whistling bespectacled beta. “This is humiliating,”
Eren whispered under his breath, not really meaning for it to be heard at all.
Stormy grey-blue eyes flickered over to Eren when his sharp hearing picked up
the whispered declaration and the alpha had to swallow a sudden excess of
saliva when he realized the brat had removed his pants. He had to forcibly tear
his gaze away from the soft curving of tanned hips and trail of feather light,
downy hair that trailed down his lower belly to disappear beneath the material
of his open pants, staring instead at the wall adjacent to him, counting the
flecks of dust and odd stains there in order to distract himself. "There are
worse things, brat. Don't whine. I won't look if that's what you're worried
about," Levi muttered, hoping his voice didn't betray how off he was actually
feeling about the entire situation. The sudden realization regarding his
attraction to the kid still had him reeling and he was desperately trying to
keep his shit together as his instincts clambered inside him raucously,
demanding he stop the scientist from what she was about to do to the omega. He
tightened his arms over his chest just in case his body thought it would act on
it's own. "You want me to hold your hand, brat?" he asked after a second,
intending for it to be sarcastic, though it came out sounding far more sincere
than he'd wanted it to.
Eren wanted to say yes; he really did. But he didn’t say anything at all, his
hands clenching white-knuckled around the edge of the examination table and he
shook his head, closing his eyes. It felt so wrong. It felt so wrong, and he
suddenly knew he didn’t want this. He couldn’t even speak up to tell the
captain that he didn’t want him to look. Or maybe he didn’t speak up because he
didn’t want Levi to leave.
“It’s just a little prick, Eren, won't even barely sting,” Hanji assured the
young man, readying the syringe in her hand before she counted to three,
inserting the needle right into Eren’s honestly cute and plump little butt
cheek. The boy jolted slightly, letting out a surprised yelp.
The growl Levi let out in response to the pained yelp that sounded from the
omega rumbled dangerously through the room before he had a chance to stop it
and he grit his teeth, cutting off the sound as quickly as he could manage,
shifting restlessly against the wall. He had to fight to relax suddenly acutely
tensed muscles. He wanted to attack Hanji, to rip the syringe out of her hand
and stop her from pressing the plunger that would force the overdose of the
suppressant into the young omega, but he managed to keep himself from acting on
the urge, trembling ever so subtly with the unexpected effort it took too
restrain himself. He had to keep telling himself that it was Eren's decision;
the kid had made his choice. He breathed through his clenched teeth, willing
himself to calm down, which was far easier in essence than in application.
Eren looked up at Levi with wide eyes at the sound that had escaped the
captain, confused. It had almost sounded... threatening, but it hadn't been
directed at him. “Wha..”
“All done,” Hanji mumbled, depressing the rest of the serum out of the syringe
before slowly pulling it out of the fleshy round cheek of the boy's bum. “It
might be a bit sore for a couple days and you might have a bruise where the
needle stuck you until your abilities kick in, but that's all,” Hanji assured
as she set the needle aside. As soon as she did, Eren didn’t hesitate to pull
up his pants faster than he ever had before. He stumbled away from the
examination table so quickly that he nearly smacked right into the captain.
Levi caught Hanji's knowing look over Eren, but didn't comment, catching the
omega by the elbow when the brat nearly barrelled right into him. "Alright?" he
questioned, his grip almost bruising on the brunette's arm as he balanced him
without much conscious thought. It was over, finally. Levi's muscles still felt
tight, but at least he didn't have to fight the desire to cause physical harm
to the bespectacled scientist that was watching them over the rim of her chunky
glasses with a sort of fascinated interest that he wasn't sure he liked. He
sent her a warning glare over Eren's shoulder, threatening should she choose to
open her big mouth. "Let's go get you something to eat," he suggested to the
shaky teen, breaking his gaze from the woman and focusing back on the young
soldier instead, still not releasing Eren's arm. He couldn't.
Eren looked down at the alpha’s painful grip on his arm, confusion on his face,
but he didn’t try to pull away, just nodded instead. “Yes, sir,” he agreed
quietly, still nodding as though that was the only thing he could manage to do
at the moment.
A weird noise escaped Hanji’s throat; awkward like a cough mixed with a squeal,
or a squeal covered up poorly by a cough as she watched the two males
interacting. The usually grouchy alpha's concern was just so cute.
The raven alpha turned to leave, tugging the youth along with him, meanwhile
tossing another dark glare over his shoulder at the scientist as he opened the
door and pushed Eren out into the corridor, releasing the kid's arm for only a
moment. "Not a word, shitty-glasses," he growled menacingly before he followed
his charge out into the hall, immediately grasping Eren's arm again and leading
him away towards the mess hall, ignoring the echo of Hanji's delighted giggles.
"Are you alright, brat?" he questioned again, silver gaze shifting along the
corridor as they moved swiftly. He had the inexplicable urge to keep anyone and
everyone away from the omega, the subtle scent of Eren's impending heat
stronger than it had been and making his instincts go wild when he was so close
to him. He didn't even realize he was releasing his own dominant scent to deter
other alphas from approaching the two of them.
“I’m fine,” Eren replied, barely audible even in the near silent corridor. “Why
do you keep asking me that?” he whispered, eyeing any alpha that happened to
pass by them. Every alpha or beta that passed by stayed as close as possible to
the opposite wall, avoiding eye contact with both Eren and the captain. And
Eren was sure he had a purple bruise on his arm from Levi’s tight grip, so he
half-heartedly tried to pull the limb from the raven's intent grasp.
Levi's eyes flicked to Eren, pupils narrowed as he watched the kid for a
minute, slowing their pace slightly. "I...” he paused as if rethinking his
words before continuing. “Do you realize the gravity of the decision you've
made, Eren?" he questioned, tone low as to not be overheard by any nosy
passersby. When Eren tugged at the grip on his arm, Levi let him go, finally
aware of what he'd been doing, but refusing to apologize for it. He hadn't
meant to, just... He hadn't wanted to stay a minute longer in that
claustrophobic little examination room with Hanji's knowing gaze and not so
subtle noises. He knew she knew and he hated it. Eren couldn't know; the kid
could never know. If they'd stayed even a minute longer, he was certain the
brat would have caught on, regardless of how dense and naive Eren generally
was. Levi couldn't believe the youth was as oblivious as he seemed, but he was
damn grateful for it. He forced his own hands to his sides to quell the urge to
touch the omega again, the instinct to protect the brunette from other alphas,
to take Eren someplace Levi knew was completely safe warring with his good
sense. Eren was not his to protect in such a manner.
“Yeah,” Eren whispered. “I do realize it, and I-“ Eren couldn’t think of what
to say, his mind was a complete mess and he was honestly holding back tears at
the full realization of what he’d done. “I'll never have kids,” he whispered
more to himself than to the alpha at his side.
Levi stopped moving entirely at the waver in Eren's voice, the whisper of
realization. He turned fully towards him, searching the youth's face, his jaw
twitching at the expression he found there. "Not anymore," he said quietly in
response. Harsh as it was; it wouldn't do to coddle the omega with falsities or
sugary words of sympathy. Eren had made the decision on his own and Levi had
warned him once before to make choices that he would regret the least. It
seemed Eren had forgotten.
“It doesn’t matter, I guess,” the boy murmured, “I-I wasn’t planning on having
any anyway, so--”
"Why not?" Levi interrupted, unable to stop the question from leaving his
treacherous mouth. It wasn't as if he had ever planned on having children
himself; most soldiers in the corps didn't, knowing the likelihood of their own
deaths, but for some reason, the alpha couldn't possibly fathom or explain,
even in his own head, why the idea that Eren wouldn't want children was just
wrong.
“I wouldn't be good at it, it doesn’t matter,” Eren mumbled, unable to meet the
captain's eyes, though he could feel them staring at him. Why was he even
telling Levi this? He wasn’t his friend, they weren’t close. He was beneath
Levi, and he always would be. “If you don't mind, I’d like to eat dinner now,
sir.”
"You really think that, don't you?" Levi said quietly, shaking his head.
"Tch... stupid brat..." he said under his breath before he turned on his heel
once again and began leading the way to the mess hall as had been intended from
the start. Anger simmered in his gut over the fact that Eren actually believed
his own words, that the kid thought he would be no good. Levi had known that
Eren was insecure about his own abilities; it had been made obvious over and
over again, but Levi couldn't bring himself to believe that the kid who was
determined to destroy all the titans for humanity, the resolution sparked by
the need to avenge his family and the families of his loved ones, who faced a
firing squad to protect his friends and had mourned for a squad that he hadn't
even really had the chance to become a real part of, would or could possibly be
a terrible parent. It didn't matter in his head that Eren was unlikely to ever
reach his eighteenth birthday or see that ocean he was always on about, that
even without the serum eating away his ability to conceive, the omega was
unlikely to ever have children. It didn't matter that Eren would be put to
death once his usefulness had run out. Even though Levi knew all of these
things, they didn't matter. The idea of Eren with a tiny, dark-haired bundle
cradled in his arms with that look of adoration he sometimes had in his honeyed
emerald eyes trained on the infant insinuated itself in the alpha's mind and
would not be forced away once it had taken root. He shook his head and
swallowed hard against the bitterness that rose in the back of his throat,
refusing to dwell on the image he'd painted in his head and even more so
because the child he imagined Eren holding had hair that was far too familiar.
He felt like he was losing something, even though he had no right to anything
at all. Eren was not his.
Eren followed Levi to the canteen, not saying a single word. Maybe he had made
a mistake, but it was already too late. There was no taking back what he’d
done, was there?
The line for dinner was short, the mess hall was practically empty. After all,
it was rather late. Eren followed the raven to the line, where they were both
served some type of meatless stew and bread, which was usually what they had
every night. Though the teen had been the one to rush them, when they sat down
at the empty table where they used to sit with the rest of Levi’s squad, Eren
didn’t even touch his food.
The alpha ate his food without hesitation, the mechanical motion of spoon to
mouth only broken by interval sips of water and mouthfuls of dry bread. He
didn't even taste it, only eating because it was ingrained, necessary in order
to stay in top form. One did not squander sustenance when it was provided. They
couldn't afford any weakness when facing their enemies outside and inside of
the walls. He paused, nearly finished his bowl and stared hard at the omega
across from him. "Eat, Eren," he ordered, watching intently to be certain the
youth followed the command. Eren had said he was fine, though Levi knew he
wasn't and the kid's lack of appetite when he'd been the one to press for them
to go for dinner was just testament to that. "Once you've finished, I'll bring
you to your room for the night."
“I am finished,” Eren replied quietly, staring down at his untouched meal, “I
guess that shot just ruined my appetite, sir.”
The shorter male gave a curt nod, setting his spoon into his emptied bowl and
standing, finishing off the last of the lukewarm water in his glass and
collecting both his and Eren's dishes, leaving them in the provided bins before
leading the way back to the entrance, waiting for the youth to catch up before
he began moving again, stonily silent, still angry with Eren and with himself.
He needed to get away from the kid, to think and get his head around the damn
situation. He needed a God damned cup of tea and moment of peace to straighten
out his thoughts, even if the idea of leaving Eren was almost painful.
Eren followed the captain to the room the omega had been assigned. And by room,
he meant the dark, cold, and musty dungeon. It was the last place he wanted to
be right then, all alone, but at the same time, it was better. If he wanted to
cry while he was alone, he could and no one would see or hear him. Though if he
did let the sobs crawling up his throat break free, his face would be sticky
with the salty tracks of tears for a while since he still had to be chained up
at night, leaving his hands useless to wipe them away on his own.
Levi waited for Eren to be entirely ready for bed before he locked him in for
the night, holding the lantern in one hand as he looked over his shoulder at
the shadows playing over the omega's chained form. "I hope that you made the
decision you'll regret least, Eren," he said before he disappeared, not waiting
for the young man to reply, the echo of his footsteps following after his
retreat. The raven alpha needed to be alone and he was afraid that if he stayed
a moment longer, if he heard that first sobbing breath and saw that first salty
rivulet fall, he would not be able to leave at all, so instead, he beat a hasty
retreat to his own quarters. Perhaps it was cruel to leave the kid like that,
with such ominous parting words, but he couldn't trust himself to say anything
more and there was no consolation for such a thing that he could offer the
young omega.
Eren did, in fact, begin to sob once the captain was gone. Yes, this was the
decision he regretted the least, and really it didn't matter because he knew he
would be dead long before he'd ever be old enough for children anyway. Fifteen
was young, too young by society's general standards to be having children, even
if you'd presented early. Omegas, especially male ones dying in childbirth was
much too common, so many of them waited until they were more matured. But it
was different for Eren; he would die young, but it wouldn't be a result of
complications in childbirth. He would be executed or eaten by a Titan. Hell,
maybe he'd even give up and off himself if he couldn't make it until then. He
didn't think it would be so terrible if he took his own life; at least it gave
him a choice in how he went. But he couldn't...God, the captain would be so
disappointed in him if he decided to do something like that; no doubt Levi
would think it was the coward's way. But why should he even care about the
short alpha's opinion? He would be dead, after all. Even so, the thought of
Levi's disappointment only served to make him cry harder. He couldn't help the
hitching sobs that echoed through his cell because he knew that the captain was
already disappointed in him, and he realized, he was disappointed in himself.
Levi was restless in his quarters, brewing himself a cup of tea and settling at
his desk to meticulously maintain the blades of his gear, sharpening, cleaning
and oiling the steel in an attempt to calm himself. When he'd finished with the
blades, he'd tried to look over some paperwork he'd been putting off, but
couldn't read more than a line or two at best on the first document without his
attention waning.
He removed his gear straps and his jacket before removing his shirt, replacing
it with a dark and soft long-sleeved shirt instead, hoping to make himself more
comfortable, as if it might help to relax him. It didn't. He began pacing after
that, thoughts rolling over each other oppressively. He was worried about the
shifter. He knew the kid wasn't alright. The boy was probably further from
alright than he had been when he'd first found out he had the shifting ability.
As the hours wore on, Levi couldn't stand it anymore. He decided he would just
go and check on the omega. Eren was probably asleep by then anyways and at
least if he went down and saw that the kid was fine, was sleeping like usual,
he could maybe get his instincts to settle the fuck down. He felt jittery and
couldn't stop running numb fingers through his hair, tousling the normally
perfectly parted, straight strands.
With a low growl of frustration, he finally left his quarters and stalked down
the corridors to the dungeons, the keys gripped tightly in one fist.
He knew he'd regret this.
***** Heated Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Not much had changed in the musty dungeon since Eren had been put there on the
very first night he'd become a part of the corps, and not much had changed in
the way that he was still forced to sleep in that damp, dark, sparse room by
himself, chained to the unforgiving bed. The only thing that had changed was
that on that night, shortly after Eren had cried himself out of tears, was that
he didn’t feel right. He felt hot, too hot; burning. He didn’t feel right at
all. He was sweating uncontrollably and in between his legs was… Wet. It was
slippery between the soft cheeks of his backside and the press of his thighs,
and he felt so empty. He was scared at first, he thought maybe he was dying
from some odd side effect of the suppressants he'd been given before he
realized what it was that was actually happening. The suppressants had failed;
they had failed miserably.
Eren was crying again, but not because he'd made a poor decision. He was crying
because he felt so empty inside that it ached. He needed an alpha to fill him
up and make the pain go away. But he knew no alpha was to have him. No alpha
would even want him. And the alpha Eren wanted… He knew that would never
happen.
Instead, he would be alone here, suffering in his misery until morning when
someone would come to collect him and find him in heat. The soldiers would
probably all taunt him mercilessly; hell, they might even toss him around and
have some fun with him… Eren didn’t want to think about that.
The alpha could smell him long before he even reached the cell that served as
Eren's bedroom. His pupils dilated, irises slivered silver around the opaque
centers and his nostrils flared, inhaling the honey sweet scent of the omega in
heat, one of which, Levi had never found so attractive before. He'd never had
to force his thoughts into order, to push his instincts down so harshly in
response to that sort of stimulus. And it was obvious as his steps echoed on
the few stairs leading down to the dungeon, that the suppressants had not
successfully staved off the boy's heat, quite possibly acting as a catalyst
instead and bringing the damn cycle on earlier than Hanji had originally
estimated.
The keys sounded so loud in the locks as he turned them to open the barred
door. The light was dim and he could just make out the shivering mass that was
the young male curled up and trembling with sobs in the rumpled bed. Levi
should leave; he knew that. He should have turned around the moment that
intoxicating scent had first been caught in his nose, but he couldn't force
himself to turn around. He could practically taste Eren on the back of his
tongue. He just needed to see the kid, just a moment to make sure he was okay.
He could control himself; he would; he had to.
"Eren?" he called to the brat, his voice far lower and more guttural than he'd
meant for it to be, the tone beyond his control. His body was thrumming,
instinctive arousal tingling and spreading fire along his veins, his member
twitching in his trousers, but he forced himself to ignore all of the physical
reactions, his hands fisted intently at his sides.
"Captain," Eren breathed desperately, though it wasn't even because he'd heard
the man's voice. He'd been quietly whimpering his name for the last ten
minutes. "Make it go away," he begged, wrists twisting as though trying to
escape their iron confines in spite of the fact it was tearing his delicate
skin.
Levi closed his eyes and breathed heavily through his mouth, swallowing hard
against the bitter sweetness in the back of his throat. He took a few steps
closer to the omega without conscious thought before he stilled himself maybe a
foot or so away from the whimpering, squirming form. "Eren... I... You know I
can't," he paused, licking his lips, forcing his hand still, not having
realized he had even raised it towards the boy, "Even if... Damn it! This
wasn't supposed to happen." His tone was rough, threatening to break under the
strain of his own faltering control and he ran the hand that had been lingering
in the air outstretched towards the youth through his own hair instead,
ignoring the subtle trembling of his fingers, refusing to admit how much Eren's
begging voice was affecting him.
"Captain, I need it so bad," Eren pleaded quietly, voice cracking with
desperation. "It hurts, sir, I can't-nh~" Eren let out a whine mixed with a
slight moan, panting as the alpha's scent washed over him.
Levi turned his head away, teeth sinking into his bottom lip harshly. It was
difficult to think, mind clouded with the honeyed scent and the panting whines
were making it hard to remember why it was he couldn't take Eren.
He let out a frustrated growl, shaking his head as if it would help to clear
it; it didn't. He exhaled a sharp breath through clenched teeth and closed the
last bit of distance between the two of them, slowly reaching out one pale hand
to brush the sweat-dampened chocolate locks from Eren's forehead.
"Shh, I know," he cooed quietly, attempting to sooth the youth without doing
anything too inappropriate. It was hard, harder than it should be for him; he'd
never reacted so strongly before. He could feel sweat trickle down the back of
his neck and down between his shoulder blades and he found that at least
touching the kid made it just a little more bearable than when he'd first
stepped into the cell.
"I can't do more than this Eren. I wish I... If things were different...
Shit... I'm not good at this kid. Maybe I should go get shitty glasses," he
found himself saying, dilated eyes still glued to the writhing boy before him,
his fingers stroking gently through Eren's hair, behind his ear and along the
side of his neck. He wanted to release Eren's bonds, but he shouldn't, not when
they were alone in this room. If the omega touched him, Levi didn't think he'd
be able to hang on to the brittle thread of his restraint any longer.
"No, don't go," Eren whispered, barely registering what the alpha was saying to
him, but the tone of the man's voice was driving him absolutely crazy. Eren
shivered when Levi touched his forehead, his mouth opening and closing slightly
as he released another moan, his body shaking with need. "Levi..." He'd never
called the man by his first name before, but the way it rolled off his tongue
right then felt so natural.
The alpha let out another low growl, the sound dangerous and animalistic upon
hearing his name in the weepy, begging tones of Eren's voice. The kid was
trying his patience, really. He forced himself back a step, fingertips just
barely able to keep ghosting along the softness of the youth's hair.
"You don't know what you're asking Eren. It's the heat. It's the hormones
making you want this. You'll be alright...I promise. I shouldn't stay." He was
making excuses, trying to convince himself as well as the omega. It was killing
him to watch Eren struggling against his chains, to smell him and he wanted to
touch more now that he had started. His fingers on the youth had helped to
sooth his own desire to start with, but it was getting stronger the longer they
remained so close to one another, their scents mingling and growing ever
heavier around them.
His jaw twitched and he pulled his hand away from Eren's silky hair, "Eren, if
I remove the chains, you'll stay where you are, you understand?" He had to
remove them, even though he was weary of doing so. Eren was going to hurt
himself if he kept twisting his wrists the way he was and that would be much
worse should he ignite his shifting abilities, or so he excused.
Eren nodded, whimpering pathetically again. "Please," he whispered hoarsely, "I
promise, hih-I promise, I'll do anything you want." Eren breathed erratically,
dark lashes fluttering in the dim light of the dungeon, pupils wide and hazy
with lust.
The older man's breath hitched. "No, don't... Don't say that," his voice was
sounding more wrecked with every new word he spoke and he pressed his lips
together tightly as he leaned over to unclasp the iron bands of the shackles
around the omega's thin wrists, immediately moving back once he'd freed the
kid. He'd done what he should and now he would leave. He kept telling himself,
willing his legs to move him, but Eren's words and whimpers kept echoing in his
head and making him forget why he should be leaving in the first place. And the
boy smelled so damn good.
The second Eren was free, his bloodied wrists dropped to the bed in exhaustion,
immediately beginning to steam, Titan abilities working hard to fix the damage
that had been done by his desperate struggling. The omega arched his back a
bit, practically writhing on the bed, a weak hand reaching out toward Levi once
the steam had dissipated, the flesh smooth and no longer raw.
The alpha stilled just out of Eren's reach, the kid's fingertips just inches
from making contact and Levi shuddered as if he could already feel the warmth
of those soft tanned digits. His own fingers curled against his thighs,
clenching in the loose fabric of his trousers, erection throbbing urgently and
tenting out the front of the material. This omega wanted it, wanted to be
taken, was begging to have him; why was he resisting? Levi shook his head,
trying desperately to shake the treacherous thoughts from his mind. No... This
was Eren, his subordinate, humanity's hope and Levi's responsibility, not just
some omega. He reluctantly backed away from the kid, still shaking his head.
"I'm sorry Eren, I can't..."
Eren let out a sob as his hand dropped back down to the bed, watching from
beneath hooded lashes as the short alpha backed off. "Don't leave me," he
begged quietly, "Please sir...Those... Hhh-- other alphas will take me if
you're not here," Eren managed to mutter hoarsely, head tossing back and forth,
his chestnut hair falling into his murky eyes.
Levi made a sound between a growl and a whine of his own, caught between
instincts. He couldn't possibly let any other alphas near Eren, but he couldn't
trust himself either.
He took several deep steadying breaths. "I won't... I won't leave.. I just... I
can't stay in here with you. It's too close," he said, voice low and hoarse as
he backed away further until he was in the corridor outside of the barred door
and he slammed the iron closed, locking it and tossing the keys a few feet to
his left.
He leaned against the bars, pressing his forehead against the cool metal and
allowing his elbows to rest on the horizontal bar running perpendicular to the
vertical iron bars, fingers dangling in the open space inside Eren's cell,
unable to even be disgusted in touching the likely dirty metal.
"Captain," the omega sobbed, letting out another whiny moan, his body
instinctively jerking, head tilting upward to expose his vulnerable, pulsing
throat. "Please...Don't let them-mh..take me," Eren whined,"Only you..."
"It's okay... It's okay. I won't let anyone," Levi's breath was short, catching
in his lungs, "Not even me." He closed his eyes tightly to stop himself from
watching Eren's body moving in such a seductive manner, trying to focus on
breathing through his mouth to avoid that sweet scent, but it wasn't working as
well as he'd have liked.
Eren's shirt rode up, revealing his smooth, flat belly and almost exposing his
nipples. "Mh-h.." He shivered as the cool air kissed his bared skin, the
blankets beneath him soaked through with slick.
Levi could hear every rustle of bed linens, every panted breath and whimpering
moan. With every motion the teen made, his scent grew stronger in the air. Levi
could smell nothing but the scent of Eren's heat, his arousal, the slick that
was surely staining his sheets and those supple, golden thighs. His own scent
flared in response and he couldn't help himself; he opened his eyes and watched
the writhing omega, that tantalizing strip of firm flesh along his abdomen and
the teasing glimpse of pert nipples stopping his breath a moment as the alpha
stared. His mouth went dry and then filled with saliva and he swallowed hard,
jerking away from the bars and turning his back to the sight, muscles tense and
rigid as he fought with himself, pointedly not looking at the keys on the floor
not so far away.
Eren couldn't stop his wanton squirming, already laboured breaths becoming
heavier with each exhale from between bowed lips. "Sir..." he whimpered
huskily, his toes curling and his shaky hands moving down to palm at himself
through his sleep bottoms.
The omega was calling for him again, sounding so desperate, the whimpers were
pained and Levi wanted so badly to go to him, to answer his calls and take the
pain he was feeling away, but to do that he would have to go against direct
orders... He made the mistake of glancing over one shoulder and he clenched his
teeth so hard his jaw ached, a deep rumbling growl reverberating in the dull
lit dungeon.
He whipped his head back around, tearing his gaze from the picture of the teen
groping himself through his already damp pajamas and he shook with the effort
it took not to glance back again. The alpha sidestepped and fell back against
the cold stone of the wall next to the barred cell, sliding down until his
backside met the floor, knees bent up towards his chest.
He laid his arms on his kneecaps and hung his head between them, fingers
curling into his hair in frustration. This was torture, absolute torture. He
couldn't have Eren, but he couldn't leave him unsupervised. He would never let
another alpha have him.
"What I did today... I never wanted..." Eren's voice rang out hoarsely, his
breathing hitching and his chest rising and falling disjointedly, the omega
delirious with fever. "Mh-h, Levi," the boy whined again, distracted from what
he had been saying by the hand he was rubbing between his legs.
Levi pressed his palms to his temples hard and rubbed a moment. The mention of
the day's earlier events made that same knot of anger twist in his gut, the
helplessness he'd felt then flared again and he let out a distressed sound.
"Don't talk about it," he ordered roughly, though his voice was low and muffled
from the other side of the wall where Eren could not see him. He shuddered and
shifted uncomfortably against the wall when Eren whined for him again. The way
the kid said his name made it hard for Levi to maintain his resolve, but he
didn't move to stand no matter how desperately he may have wanted to let
himself back inside the cell to gather Eren into his arms, to press the omega
into his chest and bury his nose behind his ear, to taste him and bite him,
claim him. But Eren did not belong to him, was not his omega; he was not
allowed to belong to any alpha.
"I can't... I need it... I need it," whispering needy words spilled from the
brunette's mouth, his eyes rolling back slightly as his hand slipped inside his
pants and he made a sudden sharp sound that was followed by a sultry murmuring,
"I'm so wet, captain. Please..."
The raven released a shaky breath, a low groan escaping along with it before he
could stop the sound and his fingers dug painfully against his scalp. He had
never wished he was deaf so badly. Damn Eren and damn his omega scent and the
absolutely sinful sounds he was making and the alluring words that should be
innocent from the kid, but sounded so damn inviting.
"Eren... Just... You are making this harder on the both of us... I can't come
in there. I can't give you what you need. No matter how much you beg or how
much I want to. I can't." There was regret in his voice and desire too. His
cock ached in his pants and he viciously fought against the urge to even just
adjust the throbbing stiffness because if he touched himself, he knew he
wouldn't be able to stop.
"Please, please come in here," Eren was begging in broken whispers, voice
cracking, "Please... Please sir! I'll do anything... I-I can't take this.." His
fingers traced around the edge of his slick hole, fluttering against the
slippery, virgin pucker as if too nervous to actually press them inside.
"Fuck... Shit... Damn it..." the alpha cursed under his breath, banging the
back of his head against the wall and looking up at the shadowed ceiling. It
shouldn't be this difficult. It had to be because it was Eren. Maybe his
pheromones were stronger or something, than the other omegas Levi had come in
contact with because he was a shifter.
Thoughts whirled and muddled in his head, instincts trying to convince him that
he could just go in there and help Eren, just give him a little relief, then
maybe the kid would go to sleep and Levi could just try to relax. He didn't
have to fuck him or mate him; just... As his guardian, it was Levi's
responsibility, right? Eren was in pain and it was cruel of Levi not to provide
relief if he was able, wasn't it?
"Fuck it," he stood up on numb legs and brushed himself off, trying not to
think about all the reasons he was not supposed to do what he was about to do,
all of the things he had promised himself he would not do. He was a strong
alpha; he had good self-control, the best aside from Erwin, but Eren was... It
was too much.
The keys jingled as he picked them up from where he'd thrown them and the soft
metallic scrape of the key turning in the lock and subsequent low whine of the
door being opened once again was so loud, Levi bit the inside of his cheek. He
was going against direct orders, but no one was around. No one would know if he
just helped the kid get to sleep right?
Eren let out a trembling breath of relief when he heard the keys, his body
shaking as he looked up with hooded eyes at the dark-haired man. "Please...
Please," he pleaded desperately, hand shaking within the confines of his loose
cotton pajama pants.
"Shh, it's okay omega," Levi cooed gently as he approached Eren, inhaling the
thick scent clinging to the humid air. He licked his lips and kept his steps
even and slow; he had keep some semblance of control if he was going to help
the kid without doing more.
He very carefully laid his hand on the quivering, hot skin of Eren's flat
belly, just resting it there with light pressure, pointedly ignoring what he
knew Eren's hand was doing in the youth's trousers and he looked down at Eren's
flushed face. Even in the dark, he could see the tears and the light sheen of
sweat on the boy's skin. It made Levi want to taste him, but he didn't move
further.
Eren's body jerked, back arching when Levi's cold hand rested on him, a gasp
escaping his rosy lips. God, the alpha's touch felt so good on his bare, hot
skin, and the scent coming off the man was so strong, Eren couldn't even
contain himself as he tried to buck his hips upwards, begging for friction.
Levi hummed when Eren tried to thrust up, his fingers spreading wide over the
expanse of his smooth belly and he pressed down more firmly, leaning over to
brush his nose behind the soft, damp hair curling behind the omega's ear,
nuzzling against the area, unable to quell the urge. He nipped lightly, careful
not to put any further pressure on the skin as his cool lips slipped down the
column of Eren's throat, finally, finally tasting the shifter's flavour and it
was every bit as intoxicating as Levi had known it would be. His pulse raced
and the alpha felt dizzy, the fingers on Eren's abdomen rubbed soothingly over
the heated flesh, his other hand providing him support against the wall as he
leaned over the kid.
The teen's chest was heaving as he tried to gain any sense of control over
himself, but Levi's lips on his skin and their scents mingling in the air was
all too enticing to the hormone-driven omega. He knew what was happening was
forbidden just the same as he knew they shouldn't be continuing, but damn it,
he couldn't help it. He needed it; he couldn't deny that even if he wanted to.
"Mm, you taste as good as you smell," Levi murmured against the damp skin,
hardly aware of his own words as his tongue wound a hot, wet path along the
omega's neck. He hummed his appreciation; the sound a pleased rumbling deep in
his chest. His fingers slid along Eren's taught belly, teasing along the
waistband of his bottoms where the brunette's own hand had disappeared within.
The boy released a shuddering breath, flushed pink lips opening and closing in
pure bliss that he hardly had the coherency to voice. He had no clue what he
would say, not that it mattered since he couldn’t even form words to speak
anyway. It was all too much for the young omega and he let out a much too loud
cry of pleasure, though all Levi had done was kiss and lick at his neck so far.
Someone was bound to hear them if he didn't keep his voice down.
"Shh, you have to stay quiet brat. I won't be able to help you if anyone else
comes down here, just try to relax," the alpha spoke in a husky tone, lips
brushing along Eren's collarbone, his hot breath washing over even hotter
flesh. He trailed his hand over the omega's hip, thumb rubbing gentle circles
against the protrusion of bone beneath silky, golden skin soothingly before it
snaked lower and caressed along the kid's cloth-covered thigh, squeezing
unconsciously as Levi panted against him.
Eren nodded vaguely, little whines and moans still escaping him, but muffled
better than they had been. He reached up, lazily wrapping his arms around
Levi’s neck, fingers curling into the back of the man’s dark cotton shirt. He
couldn’t even describe how incredibly good it felt to have the captain so close
to him, touching him as he was. It had to be a dream, had to be because there
was no way it could actually be happening.
Feeling the arms around the back of his neck, Levi pressed open-mouthed kisses
up Eren's throat and along his jaw, low crooning growls escaping him as he let
the omega draw him in. It was euphoric having Eren beneath him, begging for him
and Levi gave into the urge to crawl on top of the young man, wedging himself
between Eren's fabric clad thighs. The hand he'd been using to brace himself
found its way into the thick tousled hair and tugged lightly, tangling fingers
in the damp, soft strands. His other hand slipped up Eren's thigh back to his
hip and gripped firmly as he rolled his own hips against the omega's, a
guttural moan sounding from him close to Eren's ear as Levi's aching erection
finally found some relief against a mirrored hardness.
A tiny moan mixed with a cry of surprise escaped Eren’s throat at the friction
that heated up the bulge in his soaking pants, his legs twitching with need and
anticipation at the feeling. He let Levi dominate him, practically going limp
beneath the man except for the uncontrollable little twitches and bucks of his
hips. “Captain, Captain,” he called out brokenly over and over again, not even
fully aware of the mantra spilling from his lips.
The alpha growled in response to the pleasured sounds and subsequent chanting
of his title. Hearing those panting whines did things to him, heat pooling
heavy and potent in his gut and he rutted against the younger male harder. His
grip on the omega's hip grew tighter, bruising as he rubbed himself against the
boy, covering him with his body and his scent, mouthing greedily at already
slick, flushed flesh, losing his sense in the heady rush of dominating what
he'd deemed as his own even if he couldn't claim him. He could feel the heat
between the press of there hips and the dampness that was beginning to seep
into his own trousers from Eren's and it very nearly drove any shred of will he
still had from him, but he held fast. He was doing this to help Eren; he had to
remind himself repeatedly.
Eren knew in the back of his mind that what was happening wasn’t right; they
weren’t supposed to be doing the things they were and that he should push the
alpha away, but he just couldn't. Why hadn’t the suppressants worked? If it
wasn’t right, then why did it feel like it was? He’d never felt anything so
good; he’d never smelled anything so good, and God damn, did he want more. Even
before he'd gone into heat, he'd wanted this. Eren arched his back, pressing
his groin against Levi’s eagerly.
The older man closed his eyes and inhaled the mix of sweet and spicy that was
their mutual arousal, holding his breath a moment before, "Eren..." It was a
heavy breath, hardly anymore than a whisper as Levi backed off just enough to
look at the boy beneath him, his eyes blown with desire and face just as
flushed as the omega's. The kid was breathtaking. He released his grip on the
brunette's hair and ran reverent, slightly trembling fingers along one cheek as
his other hand released his hip and snaked it between the press of their bodies
to slip ever so casually into the damp pajamas, tips of his fingers just barely
brushing the boy's straining erection.
The writhing brunette let out a gasp, his hands pulling at the alpha’s sweat-
damp shirt desperately in every direction, most likely stretching out the
fabric beyond repair, but neither one of them could really seem to care. Eren
was shaking so badly, he was surprised that Levi was even able to stay on top
of him, but the man’s straining muscles made him rock solid, especially when he
became serious; unmovable. And at that moment, he looked very serious.
“Nh-h” Eren could only make a simple breathy noise in response to the intimate
touch, looking away and squeezing his eyes shut.
"It's okay. I'll take care of you," the shorter male cooed his assurance,
rubbing his thumb along Eren's cheekbone and wiping away the salty wetness of
tears that still clung to the soft overheated skin. He stared at the boy as
Eren tossed his head to the side and the alpha fought ferociously against the
animal instinct to mark the other male's exposed throat, licking his lips and
swallowing hard. He wiggled his hand further into the confines of the omega's
sleep bottoms, rocking his own hips back to give himself more room, running his
fingers along the slippery shaft of Eren's cock and unconsciously humming his
approval at the feel of it.
Eren whined shakily, legs spreading further to give the man on top of better
access to do as he pleased. “T—t-take..me..” he begged in a whimpered and
strained voice, even though he knew Levi wasn’t allowed to.
Levi clenched his teeth, jaw twitching under the pressure and he made a sound
between a growl and a groan, burying his face against the boy's throat. "I wish
I could..." And he did; in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take
Eren, to claim him and mark him and breed him so every other alpha would know
better than to even look in his direction. He wanted it more than he'd ever
wanted anything before; no other omega had ever made him feel as he did with
Eren, as if he'd lose his mind if he let that last thread of restraint go. But
he couldn't.
Instead, he stroked his fingers along the other male's member lightly before he
shifted enough to slip the digits further, lower, groaning when they came in
contact with the hot slickness slippery between the soft cheeks of the omega's
rear and beneath the tight, smooth sac.
The teen bit down on his bottom lip harshly, vision going black around the
edges for a moment as he held his breath, trying to hold back the cries and
moans he wanted to let out, but knew he couldn’t. He was afraid the alpha would
stop touching him if Eren became too loud. After all, Levi could get in a lot
of trouble for what they were doing. And really, so could Eren. It didn’t
matter if the heat was affecting his brain or not; he was still a shifter and
still forbidden to take a mate. In the government’s eyes, one little slip up
like this was a giant mistake, big enough to get Eren and or anyone else
involved executed or at the very least imprisoned.
The raven could feel the tensing of the omega's abdominal muscles as he held
back the sounds he so obviously wanted to make and the alpha nipped his collar
bone a little harder than he really should, running his tongue over it
immediately after as he pressed a finger to the wet entrance, circling it
teasingly before dipping just the tip inside, his own panting breaths muffled
against Eren's neck. He trailed the fingers of his other hand to the boy's
mouth, caressing against his lips and pressing inside to help keep the youth's
sounds stifled and be sure the shifter didn't bite at his lips in his
desperation to stay mostly silent.
Eren whined and moaned desperately around the fingers in his mouth, suckling
the digits greedily, slick tongue running over, under, and in between them as
he closed his eyes, overeager hands wrapping around the captain’s wrist to make
sure he didn’t try to pull away. It helped him keep quiet, and he thoroughly
enjoyed having something of Levi’s in his mouth. It was good… Practice. Without
those fingers in his mouth muffling his cries and helping to distract him, the
omega would be screaming in pleasure and ecstasy, even just at the tease of the
alpha's fingers at his slippery hole.
The raven screwed his eyes shut tightly, clenching his teeth and keeping his
own voice in check as Eren sucked at his fingers in an entirely erotic manner.
Levi pressed the single teasing finger at the omega's slick entrance in
further, sliding in as far as he could, wiggling it around a bit and rubbing
against the slippery walls as Eren's body eagerly accepted it. It wasn't more
than a few slow, exploratory thrusts before he pressed a second finger inside,
pressing his hips into each thrust of his hand, ignoring the uncomfortable ache
the positioning caused in his wrist. He imagined it was his cock embedded in
that dizzying wet tightness, hips mimicking the motions as he rutted against
the boy beneath him. "Fuck... Fuck..." He muttered harshly against Eren's skin,
panting and sweating as they moved against one another.
Even with Levi's fingers in his mouth, the cries and moans Eren was eliciting
were echoing throughout the dungeon, bouncing off each and every cold stone
wall. Eren rolled and bucked his hips, trying to time his movements to the
thrusting of Levi's fingers inside of him, but the motions were disjointed and
erratic as he gasped for air in between sucking the slick digits in his mouth
and moaning.
The fingers vacated Eren's mouth, trailing wetly along his cheek and down to
his chin which Levi gripped and used to turn the boy's face to meet his gaze,
pulling himself away from the omega's neck. He hovered there, face bare inches
from Eren's. "Shh... Shh, I know. I know. I've got you," he breathed hot and
heavy against Eren's lips before sealing them with his own and thrusting his
fingers harder into the youth, curling the digits with knowing efficiency.
Levi's words made Eren shiver, brain clouded by the alpha's scent and the husky
sweetness of his voice. He wrapped his shaky legs around the older man's lower
back, whining and moaning against the alpha's lips. His already reddened lips
parted slightly to allow the raven's tongue entrance. He wanted Levi to
dominate every inch of him.
The alpha swallowed every sound Eren made, running his tongue along the seam of
the omega's lips until the youth opened them and let the questing muscle
inside. Levi moaned lowly at the flavour of Eren's mouth as the boy sucked on
his tongue, fucking Eren with his fingers roughly, maneuvering the digits in
and out of the slick heat and curling them to press against the soft spongy
bundle of nerves hidden within. His hips moved with the continued motion, his
own cock throbbing and weeping in the confines of his pants. He knew he wasn't
going to be able to last. The scent, taste, and feel of Eren was just too much
and it had been so long since he'd last had release. He panted through his nose
as he continued to kiss the kid, effectively stifling any sounds either of them
made.
The way Levi's fingers poked and prodded at Eren's sweet spot made the boy
shudder violently with pleasure and he wasn't sure how much longer he could
take it; it was so overwhelming. He moaned and squirmed every time the alpha's
fingers thrust upward and put pressure on that place, his movements and noises
mostly stifled by the man on top of him, coming out desperate and strangled as
he got closer to his peak.
Levi could feel it when Eren's climax was approaching, could smell it. He
growled and murmured encouragement into the lip lock as he thrust his hips
harshly. He pulled his fingers out to the tips, nipping at Eren's lips to
distract the boy when he abruptly thrust them back inside accompanied by a
third finger in a poor mockery of knotting, hoping it would be enough for now.
Eren cried out loudly, lips disconnecting from Levi’s as he threw his head
against the pillow, back arching and hips bucking upwards desperately as he
began to cum. He’d never had an orgasm so strong before; he’d never really
realized just how good it could feel. Levi’s third finger was just enough,
actually, almost too much for the omega to take. He was so full. He felt like
if he moved too much, he would be in pain. His vision blurred and he couldn’t
control the noises escaping his swollen lips as he came, shaking and panting,
soiling his already saturated pajama bottoms further.
Levi breathed heavily, biting his own lip roughly as he felt the omega's
channel grow impossibly tighter, a fresh wave of wetness squelching around his
buried digits as Eren's inner walls rippled and convulsed around them,
desperately trying to milk a release. The alpha couldn't help but rut his own
hips against the shuddering boy, sweat matting his hair to his forehead and
making his shirt cling to his skin. "Mm good, that's good omega," his voice was
a husky growl and he pressed his face back to Eren's neck as he felt the tight
coil in his own belly snap. He came hard, pressed as close as physically
possible to the youth under him, vaguely disappointed by the barriers of
clothing between them. He panted the kid's name repeatedly as he rode out his
own orgasm.
Eren’s hands fell from where they’d been tangled in the back of the captain’s
shirt, his head lolling to the side as he breathed Levi’s name, his chest
rising and falling rapidly, eyes falling closed in exhaustion. Being in heat
and climaxing was so overwhelming for an omega, it was surprising Eren was even
still conscious after something as heated as that and he hadn't even been taken
properly. He shivered as the cold, damp dungeon air began to seep into his
sweaty skin.
Levi rolled off of Eren, but kept his fingers firmly in place inside of him,
intending to keep them there until the exhausted youth fell asleep. It was
obvious the kid needed the rest; it was so late already. Once Eren was asleep,
he would clean them both up and return to the corridor outside the cell, being
sure to re-lock it.
The omega wouldn’t quite fall asleep. His head would snap up every few minutes
and his eyes would blink slow with exhaustion and needy whines escaped his
throat before he’d fall back into a half sleep. He was trying to force himself
to stay awake, afraid that if he gave in to sleep, Levi would leave him.
The raven shushed Eren, stroking the fingers of his unoccupied hand through the
omega's hair soothingly and a low, rumbling croon began deep in his chest, the
sound meant to assure and comfort the younger male. "Sleep Eren, you need it.
I'll be here when you wake up," he promised softly through the sounds he was
making. And he would be there, just not in bed with him. It wouldn't do for
them to be discovered that way.
Eren nodded vaguely, letting his eyes drift closed again as he shifted and
pressed his face into Levi's neck, clinging to the comforting older male as he
dozed off into much needed rest.
Levi stayed as he was, curled around the omega, protective of him and allowing
his instincts to settle and be satisfied for what was at least an hour. He was
as exhausted as the boy that was cuddled against him, but he ignored it, used
to getting little sleep regularly. He pulled himself away from Eren
reluctantly, sliding his fingers from the slippery, still tight passage and
slipped away from the omega silently. He left the cell to retrieve a clean rag
and some warm water, returning momentarily to tenderly clean Eren up before he
wiped himself down, removing his soiled undergarments entirely and throwing
them out, leaving him naked beneath his pants, but he couldn't bring himself to
return to his quarters to change his clothes.
 
***** The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants *****
The morning found the alpha slumped against the uncomfortable iron bars of the
cell door, head lulled forward in the nest of his arms, knees drawn up
haphazardly, asleep, but still guarding the vulnerable omega inside the cell,
scent strong throughout the dungeon, warding off any curious passersby on the
floor above.
Eren woke that morning exhausted and sore. He wasn't sure if he'd been dreaming
or not the previous night, but when he opened up his eyes, he found that it
hadn't been some fevered delusion of his own creation. "Sir?" he called, voice
barely audible in the still silence.
The dark-haired captain jerked awake against the bars, just barely avoiding
knocking the back of his head against them. He was up on his feet and alert
immediately, looking for a threat that was not there. It took a minute for him
to realize where he was and what had woken him, but when he did, he turned to
face Eren through the barred cell door. He rolled his head on his shoulders to
relieve the ache that had settled there from sleeping in an uncomfortable
position, watching the omega through avid silver eyes. "How are you feeling?"
he found himself asking in a somewhat raspy voice, concern underlying the rough
tone. He could still taste Eren's skin on his tongue, but did his best to
ignore it.
The teen shifted uncomfortably and shook his head back and forth, closing his
eyes tight. "Not good, sir," he whispered his response. He was sore and dizzy
and his heated behaviours were beginning to return. He was probably dehydrated
as well. He could barely remember what had happened the previous night, the
recollection muddled and fuzzy in his memory, only the the echo of Levi's lips
on his skin clear through the hazy images and feelings.
Levi hummed, acknowledging the omega's words. He knew the kid was likely
parched, so stepped out of Eren's view to retrieve a tall glass of semi-cool
water for him from the little room next door before he let himself into the
cell, breathing through his mouth as he approached the prone, yet beautiful
boy.
He offered Eren the beverage and touched the back of his other hand to the
teen's fevered forehead. "Hm... it's starting again,” he murmured almost to
himself. He heaved a sigh, wanting nothing more than to crawl into the bed with
Eren and wrap him up in his embrace, but it was far too dangerous to act on
those urges during the day. He was certain that Hanji would make an appearance
some time in the near future.
Eren didn't move to take the offered water, letting out a little whine as he
reached up to grip at the hand the alpha had on his forehead, unwilling to let
go. "Levi," he whimpered quietly, need in the tone as he called the raven's
name.
The alpha closed his eyes briefly in response and stilled at the seductive
whisper of his name, breathing through the instinct to return the touch. "You
need to drink this," he said when he opened his eyes again and held the glass
up, "You need to stay hydrated. Take it."
He didn't pull away from Eren even though he should, instead letting his
fingers weave into the chocolate strands of the salt stiffened bangs framing
the kid's forehead. "You understand that I can't help you like I did last
night, don't you?"
"Why, sir?" Eren questioned, hurt in his strained voice. "I don't want any
water. I want you, Captain...Please..." he continued in a ragged, begging
whisper, "The other guards will-s-start to come down here soon, don't let them
see me like this..."
Levi hissed out a breath through his teeth, "Eren... Just drink it," he ordered
quietly. He shifted his weight, uncomfortably aware of the stiffening in his
trousers. "The guards won't come, not with me in here. My scent's too strong,
but Hanji won't be deterred when she comes to see you. You have to listen to me
and drink the water. If I don't take care of you properly, they'll assign
someone else. I can't let them do that, Eren. I can't afford for anyone to
become suspicious of what I'm doing here. I can't. Please, just do as I say,"
he spoke in a quiet, desperate tone, trying to impress his point on the omega,
even knowing that the rising hormones were making Eren less than coherent.
The hormonal boy looked at Levi with wet and teary eyes, trying to understand
what the man was saying to him. He couldn’t let Levi get taken away from him;
he couldn’t be put in someone else’s care. He tipped his head up a bit, raising
a hand to help ease the glass the raven was holding to his lips so he could
begin eagerly drinking the water, a bit spilling down his chin as he did.
Levi let out a breath of relief he hadn't even realized he'd been holding and
helped Eren drink the water, setting the glass aside when it was empty and
using the pad of his thumb to wipe away the trickle of liquid that had escaped
the omega's mouth.
"I'll scent you to make it a bit better for you, but I can't do more than that
now," he offered, stroking his fingers through Eren's hair idly while watching
the omega intently, pupils wide in the snowy irises, the scent of his heat
affecting the older man in spite of his best attempts to avoid it.
Eren let out a whine of reluctant agreement, nodding, though he wanted more
than just a scent. “I don’t want to f-feel like this anymore, Captain,” he
admitted quietly, still shaking as a cold sweat began to form on his brow. He
didn’t want to be here and he was so scared he would get taken away from Levi
somehow.
"Shh, it's okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Levi assured,
bending closer to press his forehead against Eren's, fingers still in his hair
while his other hand slid down Eren's neck to his shoulder and caressed along
his side soothingly. He stayed that way for a moment or two, just breathing,
trying to reign in his clambering instincts and the swell of emotion that had
formed in his chest in response to the omega's obvious distress. This was bad;
Eren was attached to him already and if the alpha was honest, he'd been
attached to the kid even before his dynamic had been known.
"Turn your head," he ordered gently, pulling back a bit in his leaning position
to allow the youth to follow his command. He would scent Eren to keep him at
least somewhat more comfortable and he would croon to him until it was safe for
him to do more. It would be a long day and he knew he would be even more
exhausted by the time night fell just from fighting against himself, but he
didn't have a choice. He couldn't possibly leave the omega to someone else; he
wasn't even sure he could trust Hanji and he knew he wouldn't leave her
unsupervised with the young man, even though the concern was entirely
irrational. The scientist had no interest in the boy aside from the clinical
one in which she wanted to gather information on shifters.
Eren tilted his head to the side obediently, closing his eyes as he did so. He
wanted Levi’s lips and tongue to trail down his neck again, to feel the man’s
hands on every inch of his heated body. It wasn’t fair; to be teased so badly,
but left unsatisfied and for how long? He would have to suffer through it all
day. And when Hanji arrived, he doubted Levi would even be close to touching
him. Eren didn’t know if he could stand the lack of contact.
Levi licked his lips unconsciously, staring at the exposed column of Eren's
neck, reveling in the trust the omega had in him to be revealing that
vulnerable skin to an alpha as he was. He leaned over the boy again and pressed
his own neck against the fevered flesh, rubbing in slow, gentle motions at
first, covering the kid in his dominant scent. His movements became rougher and
more heated as he rubbed along Eren's collar and to the other side of his neck,
using the hand in the brunette's hair to guide him as he liked, scenting every
available bit of skin roughly.
The omega practically purred, breath quickening and hands fisting the sheets as
he rubbed his neck against Levi's, letting the alpha's scent wash over him
comfortingly. He wanted to be covered in the alpha's scent forever; he wanted
the man all to himself.
The alpha hummed appreciatively at the omega's eager response to his scent
marking and couldn't help himself when he pulled him close a moment, squeezing
the young male against his chest tightly and placing a harsh open-mouthed kiss
behind Eren's ear before he pried himself away entirely, finding it taxing to
do so, but managing to stumble back from the bed and the omega sprawled over
it. He breathed heavily, nostrils flaring, pleased by the intensity of his own
scent overlaying the threads of Eren's heat, alerting anyone and everyone that
the omega was not available, that if they thought to touch him or take
advantage of his heat, they would have one very powerful and very deadly alpha
to deal with.
Eren panted, closing his eyes and smacking his lips in pleasure, his body
trembling subtly. He felt at least a little bit better, but he still craved
more from the alpha standing before him. He wanted to thank him, but he
couldn't even form the words to speak.
Levi closed his eyes and just breathed; inhale; exhale, until he was sure he
had himself under control once again. He was about to speak when the sound of
heavy, erratic steps bounding down the stairs and through the corridor stopped
him. He stepped further away from Eren, but still close enough to protect the
omega if he needed to, just in time for Hanji to come barreling into the open
cell.
Her coffee-coloured eyes were wide behind the thick lenses of her glasses as
she sniffed at the air, one hand rubbing at her chin thoughtfully. "The
suppressants failed... That's a bummer, but we expected it might happen. Maybe
I should try giving him another double dose," she was talking to herself before
she suddenly seemed to remember there were other occupants in the cell with her
and her gaze swiveled between the stiff alpha and the limp omega on the bed.
"Oh! Levi I didn't see you there. I should've known since I could smell your
warning all the way up on the next floor. How long have you been here?"
"Since last night. Those suppressants did absolutely fuck all shitty-glasses. I
had to scent the brat just to get him to be quiet. You and eyebrows should have
thought further ahead. All them shits upstairs would be down here right now
trying to gang bang him if I hadn't happened to get here first. You really
think doubling the dose again is going to do a damn thing? Look at him... He's
a fucking mess," Levi sounded angry and he was, but most of it was simply being
projected at the scientist because he was more angry with his own apparent lack
of self control the night before and the desire to repeat exactly what he'd
done then and more simmering under his skin. He was embarrassed by the obvious
arousal tenting the front of his trousers which he knew Hanji had seen. He
couldn't be blamed for that though. The scent of an omega's heat tended to have
that effect on every alpha in their general vicinity, or so he told himself. It
didn't matter that he'd never had such trouble with it before.
Eren opened his eyes a bit when he heard Hanji, immediately getting defensive
and curling up on his side on the bed, trying to hide from her.
"Well, if you don't want me adding more suppressants, what do you suppose I
should do?" Hanji asked the alpha, tapping her fingers on her chin. "There are
some other things I could try out. I'd like to see if a couple injections work
on him, maybe if he could even turn into a Titan while in this state," she
murmured, more to herself than either of the two men in the cell with her.
"No," Levi disagreed right away, tone dangerous and warning, daring the woman
to argue. There was no way he was going to allow her to experiment on the omega
when he was in such a vulnerable state. His gaze flickered to the boy,
concerned when Eren curled up, obviously avoiding the scientist and trying to
make himself as small as physically possible. He growled and couldn't stop
himself when he stepped closer, placing a possessive hand on the young man's
shoulder and rubbing light, soothing circles against the junction where Eren's
neck met his shoulder. He immediately turned his silver stare back to the
female beta, deliberately not removing his hand, but also being sure to keep
the soothing touch as innocent as possible.
Hanji raised an eyebrow from behind her glasses as she watched the pair with
interest. "Oh?" She questioned, "But, Levi, this could be crucial to humanity,"
she argued, but only half hearted in her attempt to persuade him. The way Levi
was touching Eren, she didn't dare to raise her voice further and incite his
aggression.
He scoffed, "Bullshit... How could him turning Titan while in heat be
beneficial to humanity? How could another double shot of that shit eating away
at his insides be beneficial? It certainly won't be for him. I'm not allowing
it. You can report me to eyebrows if you want. Eren's my responsibility and I
promised I would take care of him, even if that means going against orders," he
resolved, gaze unwavering as he met the scientist's, his hand trailing along
Eren's back from his shoulder in a repetitive petting motion between the
omega's shoulder blades and down his spine."He can't have an alpha; he's not
allowed a mate. You've already taken his ability to have children, what more
needs to be done to satisfy Erwin and the upper class shit stains?" He asked
as Eren shivered slightly at the powerful and commanding tone of Levi’s voice,
but didn't otherwise move from the position he had curled himself in.
“I…I wouldn’t report you,” Hanji assured. “Eren is your responsibility, I’ll
follow your orders when it comes to him,” Hanji promised before clapping her
hands together eagerly, “I’m just so curious about him, Levi! Would it be too
much if I asked to have a closer look?"
The alpha considered it for several long silent moments, apparently mulling it
over, weighing the pros and cons and waging war against the immediate instinct
to refuse. "Fine... Just don't touch him," he agreed finally.
Maybe it was asking too much, judging by the look on Levi’s face and the way
Eren’s hand came up to rest over Levi’s on his shoulder, eyes still closed in
the fetal position on the bed.
“You got it, Cap'n,” Hanji agreed, stepping forward until she was standing next
to Levi, staring down at the shifter. “Have you given him anything to…eat
or…drink?” she inquired lazily, a bit distracted by the scent of Eren’s heat,
and…”Boy, it sort of smells like…Mh, never mind..” she mumbled under her breath
and Levi pretended not to hear her.
He watched her approach with eyes narrowed in suspicion. He glanced back down
at Eren when she settled beside him, gaze turning almost affectionate,
unconsciously weaving his fingers between the omega's. "He's had water, but I
couldn't leave him unattended to get him food," he answered, ignoring her
further observations on the scent entirely.
“I’ll fetch him something soon then,” Hanji promised, hand stretching out as
though she was going to touch Eren, but she pulled it back against her chest
swiftly. “Your scent seems to be helping to keep him calm,” she observed,
fixing her glasses, which, at the moment, rested on the tip of her nose instead
of the bridge, “How long did you say you've been with him?"
"I don't know what time it was when I found him like this last night. It was
late. I haven't left since then," he answered, voice quiet. He'd almost snarled
at her when she'd nearly reached out to touch, but managed to quell it when she
thought better of it. "I scented him to keep him docile; last night was much
the same."
“Anyone else been around?” Hanji prodded, one eyebrow arching, “Nobody’s
thought about mating him, right?” She was looking directly at the raven alpha,
eyes burning into him knowingly. Eren’s hand gripped at Levi’s absentmindedly
as his eyes stayed closed, the omega not even bothering to attempt listen in to
the conversation between the two squad leaders; he couldn't follow it anyway.
He was too busy trying to focus on breathing properly and not losing control
over himself.
"No," Levi lied unflinchingly, quicksilver meeting and holding her gaze even as
he squeezed Eren's fingers in silent assurance. He wasn't going to jeopardize
Eren by giving her affirmation to what was still only an unfounded suspicion.
He didn't care about what would be done to him, but he could not abide any more
harm coming to his unclaimed omega.
“Alright then,” the scientist nodded emphatically, not verbalizing any further
questions on the particular topic. “If you need me to watch over him, I won't
mind,” she offered a few seconds later, “You can’t stay here for almost a week
straight.” Well, technically, he could. But he also needed to sleep and he
needed to eat.
"Maybe... You think this'll last an entire week?" he confirmed. He had no
intention of leaving Eren... At all during his heat. "I'd rather not leave him
yet. Can you get me a change of clothes from my quarters when you go to get
that food?"
“I’m not sure how long it’ll last. It can last anywhere from two days to a
whole week; each omega is different,” Hanji answered, “And sure…I can get those
clothes. Want me to go now?”
"That might be best. He's probably hungry. He didn't eat last night," he
replied, brushing his thumb along Eren's knuckles. "Tell eyebrows I'll be here
and my paperwork will have to wait. If he has something to say about it, he can
come here and deal with me."
“Sure thing... I’m glad that you’re-- Uh…Taking good care of him, Levi.” She
shifted from foot to foot distractedly. Was she implying something? She walked
off quickly, retreating down the long, paneled corridor and heading back up the
stairs at the far end.
Eren relaxed slightly when she was gone, unfurling himself a bit and reaching
to grab onto the hem of Levi’s shirt, clinging to it like a toddler.
Levi gave a curt nod of affirmation in response to Hanji's parting words, his
attention entirely on the young man curled in the bed; he didn't even register
that she had already gone. He stepped closer unconsciously when Eren grabbed at
his shirt. He crooned low and soft, fingers slipping up the boy's throat and
into the shorter strands of his hair at the nape of his neck.
The omega's lashes fluttered and he let out a gravelly hum deep from his chest,
his voice hoarse from all the moaning and crying he’d done the previous night.
“Sir?” Eren whispered desperately, fingers curling deeper into the captain’s
shirt.
“Hm?" the alpha replied idly, not disrupting his crooning. He was looking at
Eren with warmth in the normally frozen liquid mercury depths, stroking his
hair and his side gently.
“You’re going to stay here with me?” Eren inquired softly, barely audible and
his lips hardly moving as he opened his eyes and looked up at the alpha, but he
knew Levi was close enough to hear him.
"I'm not going anywhere," the raven male promised in a calm and serious tone.
He broke Eren's gaze to look around just to be sure no one had snuck in without
his notice and before he could think better of it, he was bent forward and
pressing his lips to the soft, dry ones below.
Eren let the alpha kiss him without complaint, a shaky, tan hand coming up to
gently caress Levi’s unexpectedly soft cheek, the pads of his fingers gently
running over every inch of the man’s face as if to assure the alpha that he
belonged to him.
Levi made a quiet purring sound in the back of his throat, pressing into the
touch, the pressure of his mouth on Eren's increasing exponentially as their
kiss deepened.
The omega knew they shouldn't continue. After all, Hanji could return at any
moment. Actually, anyone could show up in the dungeon at any moment. If they
were caught, everything would be all over for them. But Eren couldn’t help
himself; he needed to have Levi’s lips on his own. It made him feel…Safe.
The alpha hummed into the kiss, deepening it without conscious thought, tongue
lapping into the omega's mouth for several moments before he forced himself
away, knowing the scientist would be back quicker than she needed to be.
Eren whined when Levi pulled away, but he knew it was too risky for them to be
kissing any longer than they already had. Though, the kisses Levi had given him
weren’t the same heated, lustful kisses that they had shared the previous
evening. The most recent kisses were… Loving kisses; thoughtful and caring
kisses. Somehow, Eren craved those kisses more than he craved sex at the
moment.
Levi watched Eren for several long moments, just watched him, drinking in the
relaxed form, the slick, reddened lips, the light sheen of perspiration on
golden skin. The boy was perfectly exquisite. The raven kept petting the omega,
fingertips caressing over his cloth-covered flesh, dipping beneath every now
and again, especially over the soft expanse of the boy's smooth stomach. It
still made the alpha ache deep down to think that Eren would never become slow
and lazy, belly swollen with pregnancy; it was a profound and entirely primal
ache. He was afraid to admit it, but he was disappointed that the omega would
never be carrying a child; more specifically, Eren would never be carrying
Levi's child and it shouldn't hurt as much as it did.
He wanted to tell Eren that even though he was a shifter, even though he could
never bare children, that he wasn't a useless omega, that Levi wanted him, was
going mad with the desire to have Eren as his own, to claim him and mate and
keep him, but he didn't dare voice it, trying to convey the feelings without
words in tender touches, low croons, and meaningful looks, the corner of his
mouth twitching with a sad smile. He'd never been more sorry for anything in
his life than he was then. If they were free of the walls; if the Titans were
nothing more than a memory, maybe he could have Eren; maybe the shifter would
have been safe.
Eren was so confused as to why the captain was being so gentle and
affectionate, but he didn’t question the alpha’s motives. Instead, he just
accepted the older man’s touches, encouraging the raven with low purrs and
quiet whines, and when he couldn’t hold back any longer, he grasped a hold of
the dark haired alpha’s left hand. He brought it to his mouth, suckling two
pale fingers into the slick cavern and running his tongue in between them
teasingly. He moaned around the digits, closing his eyes in concentration and
gratification.
Levi's breath hitched and he had to clench his teeth in order to stifle the
groan that wanted to leave his lips when that nimble tongue curled around his
fingers and Eren's lips closed around the digits, the omega sucking them into
the hot cavern greedily. Levi closed his eyes a moment, breathing heavily
through his nose, his erection throbbing painfully. What that mouth would feel
like on his... The thought was abruptly cut off by the sound of a door on the
upper level opening and he was startled back into the dire reality of their
situation.
"S-Shit Eren stop!" His voice was commanding as he pulled his fingers from that
sinful mouth. "We can't do that right now," he continued in a gravelly and
slightly breathless tone, the volume wavering as he tried to reign in his own
hormones. It was almost impossible to gain full control of them so Levi settled
for leaning away from the omega and stroking his fingers back along Eren's neck
and collar bones, rather than remain close enough to be tempted to kiss the kid
again.
Eren’s mouth opened and closed as though he wanted to whine in protest, but
Levi’s fingers along his neck distracted him and made him let out a soft hum
instead as hurried, familiar footsteps came down the stairs.
Hanji appeared once more, ratty auburn pony tail bouncing on the top of her
head as she strode back toward the two, a tray of food in her hands, obviously
enough for two, and a set of clothes under her right arm. “I’m back!” She
announced loudly before she'd even rounded the doorway to enter the room.
The alpha looked over his shoulder at the woman when she returned, relieved for
her presence for no other reason than it was a deterrent for him. He could
control himself better knowing he wasn't alone with the omega.
"Thanks, Shitty-Glasses," he said, quietly grateful and he turned, pulling away
from Eren reluctantly to take the tray and the clothing from her. He set the
fresh clothing aside for the moment before he moved to the bedside. "Brat, you
need to sit up and eat some of this, okay?"
The boy nodded half heartedly, barely aware of what the alpha had even said to
him. He raised his arms to Levi as though he was expecting the alpha to hold
him, his bright green eyes locked with the meshed silver-blue of the older
male's.
Levi was caught in those wide, hazy eyes for several very long seconds before
he turned his head and spared a glance at the beta before he leaned over to
wrap an arm around Eren and help him sit up while balancing the tray of food on
his other hand with efficient grace. Once the teen was upright, the alpha
plumped the pillow up behind him, settling the tray on Eren's lap carefully.
When he was sure he'd tucked the omega in well enough, he stepped to the side,
seating himself on the very edge of the bed next to the youth's legs. He
watched Eren intently, unable to look away. "Can you manage to feed yourself?"
he asked, refusing to look back at the scientist after his actions and the
offer he was making, fully aware of her eyes that bore into him.
Eren wanted to say no. He wanted to say no so that Levi would spoon feed him
and Eren could stare into his eyes, and best of all, lick the man’s fingers
clean afterwards. But he couldn’t; Hanji was there. And that was probably for
the better. The omega nodded slowly, reaching for a piece of toast set on the
plate and picking it up with subtly trembling fingers, beginning to eat it as
slowly as he possibly could, maintaining eye contact with the captain all the
while.
“There's enough breakfast for the two of you there. I figured you were probably
hungry as well, Levi,” Hanji stated idly, “You don’t seem to be willing to
leave any time soon..."
The raven grunted his acknowledgement of her words, his silver stare unwavering
on the omega. He didn't reach for his own food until he had watched Eren eat
almost the whole piece of toast. When he finally did, he ate mechanically,
glancing at the omega every few seconds to be sure he was finishing the meal.
Eren needed the nutrients. He decided he would give the young man another glass
of water when he'd finished just to be safe.
Eren had a hard time focusing on his meal, and he also had a hard time even
trying to chew it. His mouth was dry and his jaw sore, his body tired and
fairly lethargic, lulled by Levi’s soothing scent. If he wasn’t drowning in
lust, he was tired and needy. It was typical for omegas during heat though;
hell, probably half of them couldn’t even manage to feed themselves as he was.
Eren took a few bites of the eggs that were now a bit chilled, but he didn’t
care, barely tasting them. After the third bite, he just sucked on the fork and
licked at it, staring at Levi with half lidded eyes as he did.
The alpha swallowed audibly, having glanced up only to be ensnared by the
teasing display Eren was performing on his cutlery. His jaw twitched and his
nostrils flared a little. He forced his breathing to remain unchanged, holding
back any sounds that threatened to escape him and very slowly reached out to
stop the omega, grasping his wrist firmly and pulling it away from his mouth.
"Are you finished?" he asked when he was sure his voice wouldn't crack, though
the tone came out more like a strained growl than anything else.
The boy nodded slowly, taking a few deep breaths in through his nose, which was
probably a mistake. An animalistic…Well, actually, needy and kittenish sound
escaped his lips, his free hand reaching for the alpha in front of him,
managing to land directly in Levi’s lap, nimble, tanned fingers fanning out
across the obvious boner bulging the crotch of the man’s white pants. The omega
made an appreciative noise as if he didn’t even remember that Hanji was still
present.
Levi went rigidly still, the grip he had on Eren's wrist becoming bruising and
he bit his cheek hard enough to taste blood, that sharp sting of pain the only
thing that kept him conscious enough to keep himself from throwing the omega
back onto the bed and taking him right then; Eren was certainly asking for it.
He sucked in a breath through clenched teeth, set the fork in his other hand
down on the tray and instead grasped Eren's offending hand and gently but
firmly pried it away from his straining erection. It was almost painful to do
so, the muscles in his stomach spasming uncomfortably with the effort it took.
"Eren, that's enough. I'll restrain your wrists again," he threatened, tone
dangerously low in warning and husky with barely controlled arousal. If Hanji
wasn't there, he knew he wouldn't even be able to think of doing just that; he
would have given in right then, but she was there. The knowledge of what could
potentially happen should she think he was incapable of controlling himself
with the omega kept him from immediately acting on the urges rushing through
him. That she could have them separated; that he may not be there to make sure
Eren was safe; that other alphas may get to his omega; these things were
absolutely unacceptable. So in order to ensure they wouldn't happen, he managed
to pull Eren's hands away from his body and held them in the vacant air between
them, suspended over the tray.
Hanji interrupted the serious moment, letting out a low whistle. "Impressive...
You've got some control, Levi. Can't imagine what colour your b--"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Shitty Glasses. Why don't you make
yourself useful and take the tray from between us before it spills food
everywhere." He spoke through gritted teeth, his eyes not leaving young man's.
Even though Levi’s face was flushed a reddish hue, his balls were long passed
blue and likely purple by that point and he didn't even want to think about it;
he could feel it.
“Don’t chain me up again. Please, Captain,” Eren whimpered breathily, hands
breaking free of the alpha's grip and snaking underneath the pillow behind him
as if it would protect them from such a fate.
“Ah, Eren, nobody is getting chained up,” Hanji assured, standing up to collect
the tray and casting a sidelong look at the raven, “Levi here is just having a
hard time with this. I’m sure you know the feeling..”
Levi growled under his breath, averting his own eyes from the scrutiny of hers
and staring at the boy instead. "Don't you need to go see Erwin or something?"
he groused, frustrated in too many ways to count and wound so tight, he thought
he would snap if one more damn thing tested his patience. He was already too
exhausted to keep fighting so hard against it.
He let his own hands fall to the tops of his thighs, curling into fists and he
finally looked away from the omega. "I won't chain you, I'm sorry, just... Try
to restrain yourself, brat," he muttered, face flushed, sweat beading on his
forehead and the back of his neck. He didn't want to restrain the youth again,
but he would, at least while Hanji was there if it would help to convince her
that he had no intention of mating the boy.
“Are you sure you want me to leave you alone with him? He’s got you right under
his thumb,” the scientist observed, and she wasn’t wrong. In the state he was
in, Eren could probably get anything he wanted from the normally unaffected
alpha if he begged hard enough or…Sucked on enough things.
"We'll be fine, shitty-glasses. I'm going to change my clothes and Eren is
going to have another glass of water, then he's going to nap," he assured,
eyeing the omega, daring the kid to argue with him. It had been a close call
before. If Hanji stayed, she would surely see something more incriminating and
Levi could not afford for her to see him break and give in to Eren's begging,
so he lied and desperately hoped she would believe him. He wished he could
believe himself, but he was already in far too deep. Even if he managed to
resist mating the kid, he'd already done far more than was appropriate.
“Alright. I’ll go tell Erwin and the higher ups that you’re down here watching
the shifter, I’m sure they won’t question it. They trust you,” the beta
affirmed, “But if you need anything, don’t hesitate to come get me.” She turned
around, exiting the cell and giving Levi one last little knowing smirk over her
shoulder before she practically ran up the stairs.
The raven had watched her go, giving her an affirmative nod and pretending not
see her smirk. He somehow came to the conclusion that it had been best that
Hanji was the one to approach them. He didn't think she was opposed to the
match, but he wouldn't risk Eren to find out. As soon as he was sure she was
gone, he let out a low hissing breath of relief and moved to stand, intending
to do as he'd said and change his clothes.
Eren stared at him as the alpha stood up. “You’ll change in front of me?” the
young omega asked quietly, his eyes half lidded and slightly dreamy at the
prospect.
Levi's eyes widened just a little and he turned his back to the omega to hide
the heat that crept into his cheeks. "Would you rather I don't?" he replied in
a low voice, just audible in the relative quiet of the dungeon.
“No...” Eren breathed. “Don’t leave, Captain,” he whispered, curling his
fingers into the sheets of his creaky and uncomfortable bed, prepared to beg
the man to stay again.
The shorter male hummed and gave a small nod, the gesture not quite as
effective from behind, but it didn't matter; he wasn't going anywhere anyway.
He kept his back to the omega, taking a couple more steps away from the bed
towards the bundle of clean clothes before he pulled his shirt over his head.
The motion ruffled the longer strands of his hair and sent out a wave of his
scent as the pale, scarred expanse of his muscled back was revealed.
Eren couldn't tear his gaze away, a desperate whine escaping his throat and
nearly turning into a sob as he watched the man strip. He wanted Levi so badly;
he didn’t know how any alpha could look and smell so damn amazing.
Levi did his best to ignore the sounds Eren was making, meticulously folding
the shirt he'd just removed before setting it aside and reaching for the button
and zipper of his pants, cursing the fact he'd already removed his
undergarments after what they'd done early that morning. He couldn't see any
fresh ones in the rumpled pile of clean clothing either and cursed twice as
nastily towards Hanji for being so absent-minded. Somehow he felt like the more
barriers of clothing between he and Eren that they had, the less likely it
would be for him to lose himself and take the omega, though it was a flimsy
form of protection nonetheless. He inhaled and without further hesitation,
dropped his trousers, the pale, rounded globes of his ass, leanly toned thighs
and calves now also on display. He stepped out of pooled fabric at his ankles;
having removed his boots the previous night, there was nothing to catch the
material on it's way down. He reached for the fresh pants first, fingers
shaking and feeling entirely weak as he did, feeling the green eyed gaze on his
backside acutely.
The boy's eyes followed Levi intently, shivering as he took in the attractive
expanse of the revealed finely sculpted alabaster flesh. He could feel his
erection practically throb with need, his body beginning to writhe a bit in the
bed from how uncomfortable it became. "Captain..."
The older man closed his eyes tightly and fought against the painfully intense
desire to turn around when Eren called for him. Instead, he concentrated on
getting the fresh pants on, yanking them up and growling lowly when he had to
maneuver his own erection to be able to button and zip them up. He did turn
around when he was done, unable to resist any longer. He just needed to be able
to see the omega.
“Captain?” Eren repeated. “How long... How long will this last?” he questioned,
voice husky and hoarse, though sweet like warm honey and alluring in a most
persuasive way.
The alpha stood a couple of feet away from the teen, staring hard at the tan
hands fisted tightly in the rumpled linens on Eren's bed. "I don't know. Hanji
said it could be a week at most or two days at the least," he answered, voice
still low, the husky, gravelly quality still present in the tone. He reached
blindly for the shirt he had yet to pull on and shook it out before pulling it
over his head and sliding his arms through the sleeves, grateful for the fact
that it was a short-sleeved one instead of the long-sleeved he'd been wearing
before.
He ran a hand through his fringe and then down his face before he moved out of
the cell at a slow pace, briefly stopping to pick up the emptied glass from
earlier. He went to refill it, his steps quickening on his return, acutely
uncomfortable having left the omega out of his sight for a minute too long
already. He returned to the bedside and offered the freshly refilled glass to
the squirming boy, "Here."
But Eren didn’t move to take the glass, his right hand twitching as though it
wanted to, but he resisted. He was incredibly thirsty, but he couldn’t bring
himself to take the glass quite yet. At least, not until he got some questions
out of the way. “After my heat, you’ll leave me?” Eren breathed quietly, his
cheeks flushed as he tossed his head back and forth as though it would distract
him from the alpha’s intoxicating scent. “What you gave me last night, will I
never receive it again after this?”
Levi's grip on the semi-cool glass of liquid tightened and he inhaled a deep
breath, eyes closing briefly as he tried to collect his thoughts and form the
words he should say in response to the desperate questions Eren had voiced. "I
won't be allowed to stay with you in here Eren, you know that. Even if I want
to," he answered just as quietly, voice level though his gut felt like it was
trying to crawl up his throat. He swallowed hard against it.
"As for what happened last night..." he paused, "I shouldn't have. You know
that too. It's just, I can't leave you like that, like this...” His words
trailed off and he inhaled a steadying breath through his mouth.
"I'm supposed to be responsible for you. I lost control and I'm not as sorry as
I should be. I'm supposed to be stronger than my instincts, but you... I'm just
a man. I want..." he paused again, words coloured by the shame he felt over
being unable to protect the omega from himself, though his instincts only found
pride in the fact the omega had accepted him so willingly, would still be
willing if he would just give in to them. "God, I want..." It wasn't really an
answer to Eren's inquiry, but it was close enough. He really shouldn't repeat
anything that had already happened, shouldn't have been kissing the omega or
touching him as he had been, and certainly shouldn't be fantasizing about more,
but it was too hard and he couldn't deny that he wanted to. If only things
weren't so complicated.
So, what had happened as Eren understood it from Levi's attempt at explaining,
had taken place only because the captain pitied him, wasn’t it? The way the
alpha had touched him, the way his scent had changed, and…His eyes. The way his
eyes looked into Eren’s each and every time before they would press their lips
together and rub their scents over one another's skin; he'd thought that.. He'd
stupidly thought that it meant something more. If it wasn’t for Eren’s heat
manipulating the alpha and drawing him in, he was sure that the man would never
want to share the experience with him. Eren rolled over on his side, pulling
his knees up to his chest in response to the realization that he had been
naive. So damn naive...
“Don’t,” the upset omega whimpered breathily, “You don’t have to explain.” His
voice cracked as he struggled to speak clearly, his mind still a complete mess
from his heat and from the previous night, shaken by the distressing
revelations that it had all been meaningless.
"Eren..." Levi's voice sounded wrecked with that one singular call of the boy's
name and he set the glass down, moving closer to the bed and sitting on the
edge again. He could smell the distress rolling off the boy over the sweet
scent of his heat, knew his words had not been enough to convey his feelings,
that he had somehow upset the omega with what he'd said. It wasn't good enough;
Levi wasn't good enough. He'd never been talented with words, too blunt and
lacking social skills that would provide him with a better sense of empathy
when speaking to other human beings. He'd forgotten how over the years.
He reached out to touch the omega, fingertips just barely coasting over the
brunette's curled spine as Eren pulled himself into a tight ball. "I think..."
He let out a heavy exhale and braced himself, leaning over the boy, trying to
catch his eyes before he continued in a tone that was almost insecure, "You
don't understand. I've never taken an omega before Eren... I've never wanted
to."
Eren’s half lidded mossy eyes looked up into the swirling snowy depths of
Levi’s as the alpha’s words slowly sunk in. “Sir... I don’t... I can’t believe
that,” Eren stammered quietly. “That doesn’t… Why wouldn’t you want to, sir?”
Eren breathed, voice laced with confusion. How could that even be possible?
Levi was a powerful alpha and attractive; surely omegas fell all over
themselves to seduce him.
The alpha sighed softly through his mouth, tilting his head a little as he met
the omega's eyes, honesty swimming in the mercurial orbs and he reached his
other hand over to ruffle Eren's already messy hair. "Even if my body wanted
to, my mind didn't, so I didn't ever act on any of the urges. There was never
an omega that I would be willing to keep forever. I've never been one to do
things halfway and I wasn't just going to use one to satisfy myself, even if
they offered. I'm not that kind of alpha, you understand?"
The omega nodded vaguely, eyes still locked with Levi's, struck by the
sincerity embedded in the silver. "Why me? Why would you choose me?" His voice
was a whisper of disbelief, barely audible, shaking his head in confusion,
causing Levi's hand to slip from the fine chestnut brown strands of his silky
hair.
Levi let his hand come to rest on the pillow, lips pursing a moment in response
to the omega's inquiry. He had no real answers. He'd grown attached to the
younger male ever since the first time they'd met, inexplicably drawn in by
Eren's intensity. The youth had reignited parts of the alpha that he had
thought died out with every life that was lost under his direction. The omega's
determination, the light that seemed to flare up whenever Eren became
particularly invested in any one thing, the way he looked with the tears of
martyrdom on his cheeks, lamenting after decisions he felt had been a mistake
made the alpha feel alive in a way he hadn't in years. The raven couldn't even
hope to put any words to the odd bond he'd only just realized was so deeply
formed with the kid.
Eren was young, too young and was what most considered an abomination and was
now sterilized, would likely be ordered to death by Levi's blade someday and it
was hopeless, but his instincts would not be swayed. Eren was meant to be his
omega; Levi knew it with every fiber of his being, even if he could never claim
the brunette or explain the longing, he knew there wouldn't be any other that
trapped him as Eren had.
"I wish I knew."
Eren frowned, rolling over onto his back so Levi's face was hovering directly
over his. "Sir, do you regret meeting me?" he asked in a quiet voice, "Because
of what happened last night?" the last few words came out in a strained whisper
as his breathing grew heated once again, just recalling what had transpired
between them.
The question caught Levi off guard. Did he regret meeting Eren? Perhaps it
would have been better if they'd never met, at least then, they would be
ignorant of the magnetic draw that seemed to be pulling them towards one
another, but somehow Levi couldn't bring himself to regret it when he felt more
alive now that Eren was in his life than he'd felt in so many years, he'd
forgotten what it had felt like not to be numb. And if they had never met, Eren
could have been taken by others, abused in ways that made Levi's jaw clench and
anger rage in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't possibly regret meeting Eren,
knowing that if he hadn't, he wouldn't be the one protecting him now, that
there may be no one willing to protect the young shifter at all.
"No," he said finally, surety in his voice. The only reason he regretted his
own loss of control the night before and would regret any future encounters of
that nature was because he couldn't truly have the omega as he desired. He had
a feeling he would regret it more if he had simply left Eren alone in his
suffering, if he had run away instead. He'd never been much of a coward.
"I don't regret it either.” Even if it was painful, the omega didn't regret
having met the other man. Even if the confusion and the complications it
brought hurt, he could never regret meeting his captain. "Will you ever do
again what you did last night?" Eren asked once more, hope in his husky voice.
Levi let out a sound that was a mix of growl and sigh, fingers stilling against
Eren's lower back. "I shouldn't, but I don't think I'll be able to stop myself
if tonight is like last night and certainly not if it's any worse. I can't
listen to you cry and beg for me like that."
Eren bit his lip. "Don't... Don't do it if it's just because you pity me,
Captain," he choked out, tucking his head down against his own chest. "I-
I don't need it...I'll be fine...Without," he finished in a mumble, though he
wasn't sure that his own words were true.
“It's not pity. It is physically painful for me to see and hear you suffering
Eren. It breaks me in ways I'm unused to. I can't explain it well," the raven
alpha answered slowly as if picking each word carefully before letting it fall
from his lips.
Eren worried his lip with his teeth. What did that mean? Did Levi have more
feelings for him than he'd anticipated? He couldn't even think straight; maybe
his mind was just playing tricks on him. "Sir, can you hold me?" Eren requested
abruptly, needing Levi's scent to encompass him and the security he felt when
wrapped in the man's safe embrace.
The alpha let out a long breath, "Drink the water first, then I will." He
agreed to hold the youth so long as he drank the hydrating liquid, figuring
they would remain uninterrupted at least for the time being. And really,
holding wasn't fucking.
The teen nodded jerkily, sitting himself up a bit to take the glass with shaky
hands and slowly sip at the contents, too tired to chug it down like he had the
last glass.
Once Eren had drained the second glass of water, Levi took it from him and set
it aside again. He then crawled onto the narrow bed and pulled the still
fevered and sweating omega against his chest, wrapping him up protectively in
his arms.
The brunette's eyes drifted closed, inhaling a shaky breath of relief as he
pressed himself against Levi's chest, his hands curling into the man's clean
cotton shirt unconsciously. He took in the strong, vaguely spicy protective
scent that emanated from Levi's body with deep breaths, quickly calmed by it.
The alpha closed his eyes, the tenseness bleeding from his muscles as he
relaxed finally, a low vibrating croon sounding from him. His fingers pet at
the omega in his arms, trailing lightly, soothingly along Eren's back, side and
hair.
"Try to sleep. You need it," he stated quietly, feeling the exhaustion he'd
been fighting since the previous day creeping into himself as if lured to the
surface by his words.
Eren nodded slowly, closing his eyes and burying his face into the warm crook
of Levi's neck. He'd never imagined that something like this could feel so
good, just simply being held by an alpha he trusted. The captain was so gentle
and caring; it was so unlike him. Even so, Eren didn't hesitate to fall asleep
within the next ten minutes, unable to stay awake with the soothing scent and
sound of the man he'd begun to see as not just a trusted alpha, but his alpha.
 
***** Hearts Beating in Tandem *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Chapter Notes
     Here's what you've all been waiting for... Hope you're thirsty. ^_^
Levi slept soundly, more soundly than he had in a very long time. It was as if
his body knew and had been certain to prepare for what his instincts assumed he
would wake to.
He was extremely warm when he woke, but the almost unbearable heat was not what
had roused him; it was the scent. He groaned, the sound low and animal in his
throat as he turned his face to bury it against the omega's neck instinctively,
inhaling deeply. The scent was more potent, sweeter and heavier all around
them, the air thick and humid with a mingling spicy sweetness that promised
sex. The alpha was painfully hard, erection straining uncomfortably in his
pants, worse than it had been previous. His head was foggy, coherent thoughts
muddled and cloudy beneath the heady rush of instincts vying for control. It
must have been hours they'd been sleeping because the oil in the lamp was
significantly lower than it had been and he felt a thread of relief upon
realizing how late it must actually be; they must have slept nearly the entire
day. There was no sound of wayward steps or opening and closing of doors
overhead and that was where the last of his conscious thought ended, instincts
clawing their way to the forefront. They were ferocious in their need,
battering at the already strung out alpha and he gave in finally, unable to
keep fighting against them.
Eren had woken just before Levi, but found himself incapable of moving; he felt
so hot and weak, little whines escaping his throat, his hands shaking and
itching with the need to touch himself. And when he felt Levi's nose press into
his neck, he shivered, his omega slick leaking from his overheated and
sensitive body without any sign of slowing, causing even more of that
enticingly honey sweet scent to fill the room.
Levi hummed his approval low in his throat and rolled on top of Eren, lips and
teeth finding the sweat damp flesh of his throat blindly. He lapped and nipped
at the skin, hands slipping down the omega's sides until they reached the hem
of his shirt, immediately pushing up beneath the flimsy fabric to play
calloused fingertips along Eren's smooth, firm belly and ribs while he wedged a
knee between the boy's thighs, pushing them apart without much resistance. His
mind was heavily veiled by arousal, the scent of slick from the omega driving
his instincts wild with primal desire, urging him on desperately. Take the
omega; he was willing, wanting the alpha, needing him. He could make it better,
could claim the omega, chase the discomfort of his heat away, fill the
emptiness inside the boy. Eren wanted him to and Levi was already lost. Eren
was his and he needed the omega to know it as much as he needed every other
alpha to know it. His scent flared with possessive dominance, overlaying the
sweetness of the heat with it's cinnamon spice, warding against anyone and
everyone. God help any alpha who dared to cross their paths.
The trembling boy tilted his head back and to the side, panting and letting out
a quiet, drawn out moan, his voice shaky with his own arousal. He smacked his
lips, tongue grazing across the front row of his teeth as though he could taste
Levi's scent in the air. The omega couldn't even manage to speak, his body too
controlled by both his hormones and the pheromone heavy scent of the older male
above him. He spread his legs a bit more to accommodate the alpha, rutting his
hips down against Levi's thigh unconsciously.
The raven growled, the noise entirely feral, nipping at Eren's collar bone
harshly, but not quite enough to break skin; not yet. He pressed his thigh
harder against the stiffness in Eren's pajama pants as the boy sought the
friction, porcelain hands groping at the omega's chest, fingers becoming rough
with impatience. He could feel the wetness of the younger male's slick seeping
through the layers of their clothing and he rolled his own hips downwards, hot
breath washing over the purpling mark he'd left on the boy's collar.
He pulled back just far enough and long enough to practically tear Eren's shirt
and his own off before he buried his face back against Eren's intoxicating
skin, tongue greedily lapping up the sweetness of sweat and desire, trailing a
winding path down from below the youth's ear, along the column of his throat,
pausing to nibble at a throbbing pulse before following the dip of the omega's
clavicle to his chest, the alpha's spine bowing forward so that he could taste
one peaked nipple while his hands gripped firmly at rounded hips, building
their fevered motions.
Eren let out a squeaky, high moan, gasping for air as he rutted against the man
harder. His arms lazily wrapped around the back of Levi's neck, legs quivering
as he tried to work up the strength to wrap them around Levi as well. His ribs
showed through his golden skin as his back arched, unable to control his body's
movements as Levi sucked on that pert, plump nipple that had never been touched
by another alpha before, or really by anyone else at all.
Levi was panting harshly through his nose, the silver of his irises nothing but
a thin ring rimming the opaqueness of blown pupils, his hair tousled, lips wet
and red; he looked wild when he pulled away from the boy's chest to stare at
him hungrily for several long seconds, hips still rocking against Eren's
unconsciously. He needed them gone, the clothes, had to feel skin against skin,
touch and see and taste every part of the omega squirming wantonly beneath him.
His fingers grazed along the waistband of Eren's trousers almost tentatively, a
thread of reason breaking into his mind. There would be no going back after
this. If Levi lost himself to instinct, if he took Eren, he would claim him,
had no doubt that he would not be able to abstain from marking him as his own.
He would not regret it even if it put the omega in danger; it just meant he
would have to keep Eren at his side and safe. He would put the omega before
anything else, even humanity and that was insane, but he could not deny the
truth in it. No one could take their bond away from them once it had been
formed.
"Eren..." The name came out more like a husky growl, the alpha's voice strained
as he fought to get words out. "Are you sure you want this? I can't... I can't
promise I'll be gentle and I... I don't know if I will be able to stop myself
from mating you fully... I want to be your alpha. You... Tell me you'll be my
omega," the words came out broken, raspy and guttural between panting breaths.
The boy in question breathed heavily, his eyes flickering with deep emerald and
honey gold hues as he stared at the alpha above him. Was the offer just a
product of Levi's instincts playing a trick on him, or was he being serious?
Eren wasn't sure, but he couldn't bring himself to refuse. Maybe it was just
his own instincts too, but it felt right. "Please," he begged quietly, "I-
I want... I want..." He panted desperately, close to breaking off into sobs of
desperation for how badly he wanted it, but he was unable to convey his
feelings properly, his use of words escaping him entirely.
It was enough consent for the alpha. He shushed Eren's desperate sounds,
murmuring incoherent promises to make him feel better, keep him, claim him,
promises of forever that would likely be far shorter for the both of them than
most, but it didn't matter. Levi's broken murmurs were sincere, certainly
coloured by lust and instinct, but also something deeper that the alpha had
always kept hidden far inside himself. He didn't remember removing their
bottoms, focused entirely on feeling the heated golden flesh against his own,
moaning when he pressed between smooth thighs and stiff, weeping erections made
contact. He hissed under his breath and grabbed at the boy roughly, fingers
groping at hips and thighs, bruising in their grip as he rutted down against
the younger male, pinning Eren beneath him.
"Nh-oh-God," Eren moaned ecstatically, gritting his teeth and gripping harshly
at Levi's shoulders, desperately trying to buck his hips up against the alpha's
as he did. "Le-sir... sir--" he panted repeatedly. The alpha's hot, hard cock
on his own felt so good, but it wasn't enough; he needed more.
Levi was not a virgin in any real sense of the word, having gained an adequate
amount of experience during his youth, but never with omegas and he'd never
sought it out, only having allowed the situations to take place out of hormonal
adolescent curiosity, but he knew enough about their biology to know he would
need far less preparation in taking Eren since the boy was in heat. He nipped
at the omega's chest and neck, working his way along his jaw until he reached
his lips, panting against them, " Eren... Eren... D-don't call me sir. I'm not
your captain here. Like this, I'm yours."
As the words left his lips, the fingers of his right hand hitched the omega's
left thigh up and trailed down the underside to press against the slick mess
between the plump cheeks of his rear, wasting little time in forcing two into
the fluttering ring of muscle. Levi groaned and crushed his mouth to Eren's
hungrily; the omega was so wet, so soft and ready to be taken, he thought he'd
lose his mind.
Eren let out a cry against Levi's lips, so overwhelmed by sensation, but unable
to shy away from the pleasure. "Mh-h~" he whined lasciviously, his toes curling
and back arching as Levi's fingers entered him for the second time that week.
The alpha made a similar sound of pleasure in response to the omega's cries and
moans, curling his fingers as he thrust them inside of Eren a few times, the
lewd squelching sounds the motions made only encouraging him. He groaned
raggedly before he pulled them out, unable to handle any more of his own
teasing. He sucked the omega's bottom lip into his mouth, nibbling at it before
releasing it to press his tongue into Eren's mouth. His hips shifted back and
he slid his slick fingers along his own cock, making certain it was well-lubed
before he was guiding the tip to the slippery entrance.
"I need it," Eren begged, voice high-pitched and whiny, cracking hoarsely.
"Need to feel it inside, I need you in me—Please... Please Levi..." He'd never
thought he would be saying these things to Captain Levi, who was no longer just
his captain, but... His mate. At least for the moment, unless Levi changed his
mind later on. Eren knew the risks that continuing entailed, but he was
entirely willing to accept the consequences as his eager asshole tried to
swallow up Levi's tip on its own.
Levi stared down at Eren as he begged, kiss broken when the omega had begun
speaking. He stilled against the squirming omega, his hand holding his cock in
position as the other attempted to pin Eren's hips down when Eren said his name
like that. He was shaking as he let the head press inside, followed immediately
by a low rumbling moan of gratification as the rest of his thick, throbbing
shaft sank into the exquisitely tight, slick heat. It felt as if it took an
eternity to bottom out in the lithe omega and Levi clenched his jaw, forcibly
stilling his hips once he felt the press of Eren's damp ass cheeks against his
balls, blown mercury depths hazy as he watched the omega's expression upon
being filled for the first time. The hand he'd been using to position his
member palmed against the mattress along Eren's side, propping himself up,
knees pressing into the rumpled bedding to give himself leverage, preparing to
thrust, but not acting on the desperate urge just yet. Though the alpha’s cock
had slid in without resistance, Eren still felt insanely full. He was surprised
it even went in at all from how tight the walls of his slippery channel
squeezed almost painfully around Levi’s member. The omega’s legs shook with
anticipation and… A touch of fear. He was in heat and he was desperately horny,
but he was still just a boy. He gripped at Levi’s shoulders, biting his bottom
lip and letting out a shuddering whine, clenching his eyes shut as though he
was anticipating pain.
Levi leaned further over the brunette, resting his forehead against an equally
sweaty and fevered one. "Mmnhh, it's okay... It's okay... It's all in...
Baby... Just... Breathe... You t-tell me when to move," he breathed out
huskily, intending to wait as long as possible before his body took over. He
didn't want to hurt Eren, even though he had already warned the boy that he
might not be able to hold back. His muscles quaked, tense beneath the strain.
It took every ounce of the alpha's already worn will to remain suspended there,
buried deep inside the intoxicating slickness that pulsed and shuddered around
his shaft.
Eren took a trembling breath, nodding, his forehead shifting against the
alpha's as he kept his eyes closed and tried to calm himself down. “M-move-" he
stammered, fingers digging into the sweat-slick, pale skin of Levi’s shoulders.
“M-move now,“ he exhaled. He was ready; he would be okay with his alpha, with
Levi.
The raven growled at the bite of Eren's blunted nails in his shoulders, but
didn't do anything to deter him, finding that the fleeting sting and lingering
burn wasn't entirely unpleasant. He closed his eyes, breath hitching when he
was given permission (ordered) to move by the panting boy pinned beneath him.
His fingers spasmed against Eren's hip before sliding down the outside of his
smooth golden thigh, all the way to the vulnerable underside of his knee. He
pulled the fevered omega's leg up as he shifted his own hips back, pulling out
with painful slowness. He let out a shaky breath of his own, grip tightening on
Eren's bent leg and he adjusted his other hand before he felt the last of his
control snap, hips thrusting forward sharply, a low growling moan falling from
his mouth as he buried himself once again, moving to repeat the motion, rocking
the omega's body beneath him with every powerful thrust. It was divine, unlike
anything the alpha had experienced before and he was easily lost to the
heavenly sensation, heady sounds and scents, drunk on omegas and sex, drunk on
Eren. And he couldn't stop, couldn't get enough, seeking the younger male's
lips blindly as he moved in and out of him.
The omega cried out over and over with each and every rocking thrust of his
alpha's hips. He wasn’t crying out from pain though, but from exhilaration and
pleasure. God, so much... He’d never felt anything like it before, the intense
sensation Levi’s fingers had provided not even close to being as satisfying,
even though they’d made him cum rather quickly. “Levi!” the omega half-shouted,
half-moaned, unable to control the volume of his voice.
Levi bit at the Omega's lips, not even attempting to stifle the steady stream
of sobbing cries. He honestly couldn't even form a proper thought, let alone
care whether or not they were heard. "Fuck... Eren... Eren... S-so..." He
couldn't even properly describe what it was like inside the omega, enslaved by
instinct and riding high on pleasure, all he could do was desperately grope at
the youth in an attempt to bring them even closer together. He could feel
Eren's stiff cock rubbing against his tensing abdomen with every rhythmic
thrust of his hips, but didn't bother to reach for it, unable and unwilling to
stop brushing his hands over the omega's flushed cheeks, sweat damp hair, and
the smooth skin of his upper body as he embraced him, not that there was space
enough between them for him to fist the straining shaft anyhow. His hips jerked
harder, faster, pressing his cock in deeply, shifting angles, filling and
refilling the tight slippery channel repeatedly, distantly trying to hit that
special place that would likely have Eren screaming beneath him. He could feel
his knot swelling, preparing and he was so close to the edge already. He pulled
back only inches from Eren's face, eyes half-lidded as he stared into the
endless green seas that had always beckoned to drown him. "Tell me... mh-... S-
say you're mine," he growled huskily, fingers tight and rough in the brunette's
hair and against his skin. He knew it was already true, but he needed to hear
it.
Eren's nails left thin pink welts down Levi's back and shoulders as he clung to
the alpha as though his life depended on it, though he couldn't seem to hold on
properly, too lost in the sensations, grip slipping on sweaty flesh. The
frantic motions of their bodies, Levi's tip pressing into his sweet spot again
and again and the way his own needy member rubbed up between the press of their
torsos was for more intense than the omega could have ever imagined. He barely
registered Levi's words, but, managed to comply. "I-nh-yours--" he faltered,
losing his breath and he had to catch it before he could try again. "I'm
yours!"
The affirmation in that wrecked voice made the alpha dizzy. A wave of potent
possessiveness crashed over him and he made an entirely feral sound in the back
of his throat, using the grip he had on Eren's hair to turn his head roughly to
the side. His teeth sank into the flesh where the omega's shoulder met his
neck, breaking the barrier of skin and coating his tongue in bittersweet
metallic blood at the same time that his hips jerked harshly, pressing his knot
through the expected resistance, unforgiving in the instinct to breed and claim
his omega. His knot swelled further once inside Eren and he tensed, teeth still
buried in his mate's flesh, growling lowly as he began to cum, hips giving tiny
involuntary jerks as he emptied himself inside the boy. His eyes were closed
tight and his hold on Eren was powerfully dominant, pinning the omega beneath
him harshly as he filled him with liquid heat.
The omega cried out in a mix of excruciating pain and blissful euphoria as the
alpha knotted him and also claimed him at the same time. It hurt like hell, the
alpha's strong teeth in his neck, but it felt so right all at once. He'd never
felt so many sensations at the same time, his body unsure how to react to both
the pain and the pleasure.
Levi moaned sinfully low and husky, releasing the flesh from his teeth and
soothing his tongue over the fresh wound apologetically, shivering as his cock
jerked with the last of his release. He nosed behind Eren's ear, still
breathing hard, though his painful grip had loosened, gentle now that his
instincts had been sated. There was a sad hollowness that ached in the alpha's
chest as his unraveled mind pulled itself back together slowly, deeper desires
and instincts mourning as the realization that even though he had claimed his
mate, knotted him and filled him with so much seed, nothing would come of it;
there would be no dark-haired bundle for Eren to rock to sleep. It hurt.
Eren panted, closing his eyes and letting his head loll to the side in blissed
out exhaustion, moans escaping him as his own cock released its seed onto
Levi's abdomen in sluggish streams, ass tensing and convulsing around Levi's
swollen knot locked inside him.
The alpha shuddered at the warmth on his belly, sensitive cock throbbing in the
clenching confines of Eren's body as the omega came, stickiness spreading
between them. He hummed quietly, pleased by the feeling in spite of the ache
that had surfaced inside him. "Mine,” he whispered roughly, pressing tender
kisses to the omega's neck.
Eren let out a shaky breath, his eyes still closed and neck aching with the
satisfying sting of Levi's bite. "Yours," Eren replied breathlessly, barely
conscious from the overload of physical and emotional stimulus.
Levi carefully wrapped his arms around the nearly boneless omega and rolled the
both of them over to a more comfortable position to rest until his knot finally
abated, closing his eyes and just listening to their breaths leveling out.
The barely conscious boy pressed himself into Levi's embrace, his own arms
wrapping around the man's upper torso as his face found its way to Levi's neck
instinctively. "So good," was all he managed to murmur softly, his cheek
rubbing up against the alpha's scent gland.
The alpha hummed, turning his head a little to give his omega better access to
the sensitive glands on his pale throat. He smoothed his hands repeatedly down
Eren's back. "Do you want to mark me too?" he asked, voice hoarse and hushed in
the calm that had settled around them.
"You would let me?" There was surprise in the teen's otherwise exhausted tone
even though Levi had already affirmed that he was Eren's and vice versa.
"Mhm, if you want to. It's only fair," the alpha replied idly, still blissed
out and entirely too comfortable with Eren held so closely, connected as they
were at the moment. He had no intention of taking any other omegas and was not
about to simply claim possession over Eren as if he was unequal somehow; Levi
had never been an alpha that thought poorly of omegas, nor that they were
lesser in any manner. He was the kind of alpha that would give Eren everything
and never regret it. Even now, it was only fair that the omega put his mark on
the alpha; Levi would never be ashamed of Eren, regardless of what he was, what
others might deem unworthy. Levi had been thought of as unworthy once because
of circumstances that were beyond his control; he'd be damned if he ever did
the same to anyone else, especially his mate.
And really, if they were already going to be reprimanded for what they'd done,
why not make it worth it?
Eren slowly pressed his lips to the man's neck, breath hot and heavy as he
opened wide, biting down with a force that was all too familiar. It was strange
though, biting into someone else's flesh, a flesh that wasn't your own. But
Eren was used to that taste of blood. He wasn't sure why somehow Levi's tasted
better. 
Levi gritted his teeth, jaw twitching and he grunted when Eren bit him, the
shifter's teeth breaking flesh and drawing blood. His arms tightened a little
around the other male, a warmth spreading through him as the initial pain
faded. He had a mate. He'd never thought he'd have one, never wanted one until
Eren... Now he had him. The gravity of the realization made Levi's breath
hitch, stuck in his lungs while his heart raced. He had Eren forever, however
long theirs may turn out to be.
The boy pulled away, gasping and licking at his blood stained lips before he
began to lick Levi's mark clean, just like the alpha had done for him.
The raven let his breath out slowly, one hand rubbing just above Eren's
tailbone affectionately as he felt the soft tongue against the dull ache of the
bite. The alpha's lips twitched and he smiled, actually smiled, not a sneer,
not a malicious little smirk, but a truly serene, content curl of lips that he
had forgotten he could even produce. That smile changed him, made his features
softer, thin brows that were frowning or furrowed more often than not were
relaxed, perpetually pursed lips were pouty and still red from kissing, curled
up at the corners, and his eyes were half-closed, not in boredom but in
complete peace. And there in that moment with his omega, with the bright-eyed
shifter boy he'd met all those months ago, whom he'd never before been allowed
or willing to touch as gently as he now was, in a shitty, damp dungeon of all
places, with barely enough light to see one another, Levi was at peace.
Eren closed his eyes as well, letting out a quiet breath of relief is he looked
at the alpha. Levi looked different; his face looked relaxed rather than hurt,
bored, or angry. The omega found he very much liked the way that Levi looked
then; it was very different, but in a good way. The brunette omega was too
exhausted to do much more than lie back down on the alpha's chest after what
they had just done and after the emotional hurricane that had been the last two
days.
Levi lifted his unoccupied hand to the back of Eren's head lazily, meeting his
gaze for several long moments in which that smile stayed on his mouth and
pulled him down for a lingering kiss before he let Eren curl back into his
chest. He started to hum a soft melody, stroking his fingers through the
omega's hair in slow motions, hoping to put him to sleep. They should get the
rest while they could, after all, they didn't know how long Eren's heat would
last. It had been two days already and while his knot was still thick inside
him, the hormones retreated to allow them both much needed rest.
The teen smiled as he closed his eyes, his body tired, but content as he
snuggled against the alpha's firm, broad chest. "Thank you, s-- Levi," Eren
corrected himself, unable to stop himself from yawning as he spoke.
"Don't thank me for something like this Eren" he replied quietly. For some
reason the kid's gratitude made Levi feel guilty. It made it seem like he had
been doing Eren a favour by mating him, by claiming him, as if the omega wasn't
good enough somehow. It was as if Eren thought that Levi had only done it from
some misplaced sense of responsibility. It wasn't like that. He wanted Eren; it
was by no means an obligation.
Eren nodded slowly against the alpha's collar, taking in a deep breath of
Levi's scent before he responded. "Alright," he whispered, barely audible as he
began to drift off again.
Levi went back to his humming, closing his own eyes when the omega quieted, and
his breathing deepened as he dozed. The raven didn't sleep, but he kept his
eyes closed, still petting Eren and humming softly long into the early morning
hours, long after his knot had deflated and he'd adjusted their positions in
the bed. It was comfortable and when his voice didn't want to work anymore, he
opened his eyes and just watched Eren, peaceful as he was in his sleep, playing
with his hair with unconscious affection. Levi could get used to this.
He'd always preferred being alone, not sharing his quarters with anyone, but
the idea of having Eren there in his bed and preparing their tea in his
kitchen, curling up together in Levi's rather impressive bathtub, and taking
Eren in his sheets was entirely agreeable. He'd always enjoyed the brat's
company more than anyone else's, even shitty glasses and commander eyebrows.
The idea of it grew in his head as the hours passed, expanding and making
itself impossible to ignore and by the time Eren woke, Levi had decided he
would take Eren to live in his quarters where the omega could enjoy sunlight
and fresh air whenever he liked.
Eren awoke rather early in the morning, just about when the early risers began
to wake and head to prepare breakfast. He knew because he could hear their
footsteps, but he could also hear something else. He could hear soft breathing
and the gentle beating of a heart, and he could feel a hand playing with his
hair. He blinked his eyes open, squinting at Levi and yawning like a kitten
after a long nap.
Levi's lips twitched as if he wanted to smile at the waking omega, but he
didn't quite make it, though there was warm affection in the silver-blue of his
eyes. He ruffled the already extreme bed hair and tilted his head a little to
watch the boy stretch, a thread of heat weaving it's way beneath the affection.
He licked his lips unconsciously, even as his scent flowed around them, lust
evident beneath the protective dominance.
The boy yawned again, wincing as he stretched, body still sore from the
previous night. He wrapped his arms around Levi's neck, careful to avoid the
bite he'd left the night before. "Good morning," he greeted huskily, voice
almost sing-song in his good mood.
"Mm, best I've had in a while," Levi murmured in response, leaning his head on
Eren's upper arm and there was a smirk lurking at the right corner of his lips.
He closed his eyes most of the way, watching the omega through his dark lashes.
"How are you feeling?" he asked after a long moment, Eren's wince not going
unnoticed by the raven.
"A little sore, but other than that, I feel amazing," Eren admitted, looking
into the alpha's content mercury orbs. "And you?"
Levi's lashes shivered and a pleased hum vibrated through his chest.
"Relaxed... Warm," he breathed lazily before his eyes opened to their usual
half-lidded state. "Eren..." the name fell from his lips half-sighed and he
paused to be sure he had the youth's full attention, not that Eren's attention
had wandered from him since the moment the omega had wakened, "Would you like
to come stay in my quarters?"
"For the rest of my heat?" Eren questioned, surprised by the offer, "It's
probably almost over anyway..."
"No, longer than that brat," the raven replied, rolling his eyes a little and
shaking his head. Sometimes Eren could be so thick.
"H-how long?" Eren stuttered, voice nearly cracking as he stared down at his
beloved captain, not wanting to jump to conclusions and get his hopes up only
to end up disappointed in the end. "A long time?"
"As long as you want," Levi's response was immediate and honest; he had no
intention of letting anyone refuse to allow Eren to stay with him; he wouldn't
give the omega up without a fight. If Eren wanted to stay, Levi would keep him.
There was a tiny part of him that was just self conscious enough, just insecure
enough to fear that Eren would refuse, would not want to live with him and he
held his breath as he waited for the omega's reply.
"B-but... I'm not allowed, sir... Remember?" Eren's reply was quiet and he
looked down in shame. Also, fuck... He had to drop that 'sir,' he was just so
used to it. "I would love to... But I belong here, chained up in the basement
at night so everyone's safe."
Levi's jaw twitched, instinctive anger flaring up in his chest when Eren spoke
those words and he reached for the boy's hand and roughly moved it to press
against the sore mark on his neck, placing his other hand on Eren's matching
bite. "Not anymore. You belong with me. What did you think these meant?" the
alpha asked, staring searchingly at his mate, "Let me handle the politics brat,
What do you want?"
"What I want... I... To be with you, if that's really okay," Eren whispered,
his fingers slowly grazing over Levi's still fresh mark. "I don't want to be
without you after all of this," he admitted almost to himself rather than the
man before him.
"Then we'll be together. I can keep an eye on you just as well, probably better
in my quarters than down here anyway. I'm sure Eyebrows will be able to swing
it with the shit stains in the center wall. And if not, well then, I'll quit,"
he replied, words holding no hint of uncertainty. If Eren wanted to stay with
him, nothing was going to keep him from Levi.
"I can take you there now before everyone's up; it's still early enough. We
could use a bath," he suggested, leaning into the omega's touch on his neck and
rubbing his own thumb along Eren's bruised collarbone. There would be few
people out in the halls yet, most of the steps overhead were the early risers
and the squad in charge of cooking the morning meal for the day.
The omega hummed lightly, hiding his face in the crook of Levi's neck shyly. He
couldn't believe the captain was going to let him stay-- No, not just stay, but
live in his quarters... With him. Levi barely let anybody up there, rarely even
Erwin or Hanji, unless it was an emergency. He couldn't believe what was
happening. And he couldn't believe Levi was willing to take the risk of getting
in trouble for him. He didn't reply to the alpha's suggestion, his face still
tucked in the man's neck as he squirmed almost like an excited child in the
alpha's arms. It'd been so long since he'd slept in a real room with a real
bed, with windows and lights, without being chained up uncomfortably every
night. And he would get to sleep with Levi every night, or... Well, he was
going to make sure of that. "I'll share your bed?" Eren questioned. "Which side
of the bed do you prefer?" He asked before Levi could even answer the first
question
Levi nodded in the affirmative to the first question as he answered the second,
"I'm flexible."
He rubbed his palms over Eren's shoulder blades, enjoying the feel of the
omega's breath on his neck and chest as Eren hid his face. It was cute.
"You'll have to let me get up if you want to go brat," he said after a moment,
an unfamiliar cheekiness in his tone as he ran one fingertip along Eren's spine
ticklishly.
Eren hummed, shivering at Levi's touch. He was still hesitant to let go of the
man despite the fact that his heat was much less crazy than it had been before
at least for the moment. Levi's scent and mating had calmed him down so much,
and besides, he could get used to this if it meant spending every day with Levi
as he was. He reluctantly pulled away just enough to allow the alpha to get up
from the bed.
Levi climbed off the mattress with careless grace, rolling his shoulders,
entirely uncaring about his nudity. He made his way around the small cell,
searching for his discarded pants. He shimmied into them once he'd located the
article, zipping them up, but bypassing the button, leaving an enticing little
'v' at the waistband, a smattering of dark hairs just visible between the
fabric.
He didn't bother with Eren's or his other clothing, striding over to the bed
and pulling the omega and the sheets beneath him into his arms bridal style as
if Eren weighed nothing. The boy was tall, but so damn thin, lithely muscled,
but without much bulk to his frame. The alpha tucked the sheet around his mate
as best he could, even going so far as to toss it in a makeshift hood over the
brunette's head, effectively obscuring the view of the omega. Then they were on
their way. Levi didn't even care about the lingering stares they received by
the few soldiers they happened passed; considering that the captain was only
wearing a pair of pants and nothing else and the scent that was all over he and
Eren, it was no surprise.
There would be rumours before noon, but it hardly mattered. Eyebrows would find
out sooner or later anyway and he would come to Levi when he did. It was better
that way, to fight Erwin in his own territory rather than the commander's
office. Erwin wouldn't send for him, not with something like this. The taller
alpha would want to see, to be sure with his own eyes that Levi had disobeyed
his explicit orders.
 
***** Racing Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
The raven alpha kicked the door to his quarters closed behind them once they'd
entered, and he immediately moved to place Eren on the bed, which was
shockingly unmade. His desk still had piles of paper work strewn over it's
surface haphazardly along with his empty teacup, and his cleaned blades were
leaning against the wooden side of it from the night he'd first ventured down
to Eren's room, too consumed with his concern for the omega to have been
bothered tidying it up before he'd left.
"Do you feel up to having a bath? Or do you want to sleep more?"
Eren looked up at Levi, the sheets still wrapped around the omega loosely, and
he played with the frayed edges of the fabric nervously. "Mh...a bath, I
suppose I could go for a bath.." He said reluctantly. He knew it would dim
their scents, but, the two definitely needed to wash off. Eren looked around,
examining Levi's room. It was very plain, and a bit messy, surprisingly. It
seemed as though Levi had left his things in a rush, probably because of Eren
and his heat. Eren wondered if Levi had sensed it, or something like that... He
didn't know. Maybe he was being ridiculous, but he felt connected to the man in
more ways than one.
Levi watched the omega on his bed, giving a nod in response to Eren's decision.
He slipped into the adjoining bathroom which was (of course) immaculately clean
in comparison to the minor mess in his bedroom/living area. He put the stopper
in the drain and turned on the taps, letting them run at a warm, but not too
hot temperature. He left to retrieve Eren while the spacious tub filled.
He didn't bother asking the boy if he could make it to the bathroom on his own,
simply scooping him up again and carrying him into the bathroom before
carefully laying him in the still filling tub. "Is it warm enough?"
Eren nodded quickly. It was the warmest water he'd felt in a long time, and
damn, did it feel amazing. The showers for the omega soldiers that didn't have
the privilege of having their own room yet weren't exactly the best quality.
The water only got lukewarm and there were no bathtubs or anything. And on top
of it, Eren got to use them even less than anybody else since he was always
either cleaning or locked down in that dungeon. If it was up to him, he would
be taking several baths every day to soothe his sore muscles and calm his mind.
"I-it's perfect," he replied quietly, his arms still hanging lazily around the
man's neck even though Levi had set him down.
Levi nodded, "Good. I'm going to tidy up the other room while you soak for a
bit. I won't be long. Will you be alright by yourself for a couple minutes?"
Levi remained bent over the ledge of the tub until Eren was willing to release
his arms from around the alpha's neck, his hands rubbing over the omega's
shoulders soothingly. He wanted Eren to be comfortable. He felt an instinctive
urge to care for his mate and didn't particularly want to leave him alone, but
he wanted to change the bed sheets and tidy up the mess he'd left before Eren
finished bathing to make his home perfect for his mate.
"You're not going to join me?" Eren asked, frowning. His hands gently kneaded
at Levi's neck, his big green eyes staring into Levi's.
Levi sucked his bottom lip between his teeth, a quiet moan rumbling in his
chest at the feel of kneading fingers on his neck. "Mm, I will... Cleaning can
wait..." he agreed almost drowsily, already reaching for the zipper to allow
his pants to slip off his hips and to the floor. He wanted to make things
perfect for Eren, to have everything tidy and clean for his omega, but he
couldn't bring himself to push Eren away, to refuse the request when the
younger male sounded so needy like that; Levi could hear the frown in Eren's
voice before he saw it.
He pulled away just enough to get into the tub with the omega, the water
sloshing around them and he turned off the taps before he was reaching to pull
Eren against his chest, stretching his legs out to either side to accommodate
the omega between them. " I didn't think it would be like this," he observed
softly, fingers gliding along wet flesh as he breathed deeply and closed his
eyes, the warm water and the presence of his mate relaxing him.
Eren pressed his cheek against Levi’s warm, wet chest, letting out a contented
sigh as he got comfortable. “I didn’t… Either,” he admitted, biting his lip as
he closed his eyes. “I like this a lot more than I thought I would...” He'd
thought he would feel nervous and self conscious around Levi, but he didn't.
"Hmm..." Levi hummed in response, the sound entirely content as he continued to
stroke his hand along the supple flesh of his omega. He felt so connected.
Levi's chest rose and fell in a contented sigh and after another few moments,
his eyes opened and he reached out one hand to grasp the soap set out on the
far ledge of the tub, proceeding to lather it over the omega's skin, the subtle
scent of honey and green tea emanating from the suds.
Eren shuddered, his arms wrapping around the alpha’s torso as he rubbed the
soap along his salty sweet skin. “So... Will we get to do this more often?”
Eren questioned hopefully, taking in Levi’s strong scent rather eagerly.
The raven alpha tilted his head, watching his mate as he cleaned his skin,
gently scouring the soap over the subtly tanned flesh. "As often as you like.
I'm not going to complain," he assured, the hint of a smile flitting over his
lips. He definitely wasn't opposed to more contact with the boy now that they
had bonded. It played into all those fantasies he'd conjured up during the long
hours he'd been awake while Eren slept.
“What if the higher ups don't want me to stay here?" Eren asked quietly, his
fingers beginning to slowly trail down Levi's muscled chest.
"I don't care what the stuck up shits want. It should be my call; you're my
responsibility anyway. They can kiss my lily white ass as far as I'm concerned.
It's Eyebrows that's going to have to deal with them anyways," he paused in his
reply, stretching under Eren's touch, "I don't want you to worry about it. I'm
not going to let them keep you from me regardless."
Eren nodded slowly, pressing his lips against Levi's moist chest. "You're
right," he said quietly, lips vibrating against Levi's pale skin. "I wouldn't
let them take me away from you, either..." His hand slowly came up to touch the
mark on his neck, which was still a bit sore. "Levi?" He asked quietly. "Why
hasn't my mark healed up?"
Levi looked at the omega, mercury gaze following the movement of his hand to
the mark the raven had left. He was quiet for a few seconds, considering the
question. He didn't know for sure, but he could offer a guess. "Maybe you don't
want it to disappear, so your abilities aren't healing it like the other marks
I've left? Or maybe its because its a bonding mark. I don't know for certain.
It's not like we know of anyone else who's bonded a shifter. Does it hurt?"
"A little," Eren said quietly, a dull ache radiating up his neck and down his
shoulders. "But it's a good hurt... I...I like it," he assured the alpha.
"Maybe that is why it won't heal. Or maybe it's my heat, or something..." Eren
guessed, shrugging. He really didn't know, but he hoped Levi's mark would heal
into a dark scar and not disappear. He wanted everyone to know he was Levi's.
"Mm, it'll probably scar; it should. I don't want to have to put it there every
time. I don't like hurting you." He set the soap aside, trading the bar for a
small dark green bottle and reached to uncork it before pouring a bit of the
viscous liquid within into his palm. It smelled like lavender and was sort of
translucent purple. Levi scented the air as he lathered it into Eren's hair
without hesitation. "Do you think your heat's over? I can still smell it on
you, but its weaker at least for the moment."
“If it doesn’t scar, I wouldn’t mind if you had to put it there every time. It
doesn’t hurt, really,” Eren lied. It did hurt, but he would still want it to
happen. “I don’t think it's over… I can still feel it,” Eren whispered. “But I
feel… More... Tired and calm than anything at the moment, but only if you’re
with me.”
Levi hummed, massaging the shampoo into the brunette's scalp. If the mark
didn't scar, the alpha had no doubt he would mark the shifter every single day;
he was possessive and protective; there was no way be would let his mate walk
around unmarked. "That's good, that you feel calm and comfortable; it's how
it's supposed to be. Means the bond's healthy. I'll scent you again when we're
done in here. If you aren't too sore, I can knot you again as well," he
offered, not even a hint of embarrassment in his tone, though there was the
lightest dusting of pink on his cheeks that he couldn't quite blame on the warm
water. He wanted to touch the omega again, to take him in his bed, to stain the
sheets and mattress with Eren's sweet scent.
Eren nodded. “I won’t be too sore; I’d like that,” he breathed, closing his
eyes as he tried to move closer to the alpha, though he was already impossibly
close. “Please knot me again, Levi,” he requested quietly, shivering at the
mere thought.
The alpha let out a heavy breath through his nose, a guttural groan
reverberating through his chest as Eren's words registered. The stirring of his
member was immediate and he was fully hard in minutes. Hearing his omega beg
for his knot made heat pool intensely in his gut and his heart sped, breathing
following. "Damn it, brat. Not in here," he cursed, though there was no anger
behind the words, the raven's voice rough with his arousal. Even as he said the
words, he was reaching to rinse the suds from the omega's head. He figured he
could quickly wash himself once he got the boy out of the tub and drying if he
could control himself for that long.
“How come I can’t call you Sir or Captain, but you can call me brat?” Eren
breathed, pulling himself up a bit to press his lips to Levi’s jawline, where
he began urgently kissing and sucking.
"Because you are... Ahh... Still a brat, now you're just my brat," the words
came out low and breathy as Eren devoured his way along the alpha's jaw and
Levi couldn't help but tilt his head, encouraging the boy's ministrations. His
hands slipped down from Eren's now clean hair to rub along his chest and belly,
fingers pausing to tease far too tempting nipples a moment before circling
lower around the omega's navel.
"Mh..." Eren hummed quietly, shuddering a bit against the alpha. "How come you
can't be my captain, then?" Eren asked, words breathy, nipping at the skin on
Levi's pale neck.
"Mm... Because I'm not the one giving the orders here," the raven murmured as
he licked his lips and shivered against the omega. "Eren..." He breathed in
warning. They needed to get out of the damn tub before he lost it and knotted
him right there. He didn't want to end up stuck uncomfortably in the bathroom
until they could separate again. The water in the bath was already
substantially cooler than it had been. No, he was no captain here with Eren;
they were just an alpha and omega, a bonded pair and Levi had no delusions
about which of the two of them held all the power.
"So when we're alone, I don't have to take orders from you?" Eren whispered,
tongue slowly sliding over the pulse in Levi's throat and down to his collar
bone.
"Of course not. What kind of partnership would that be? Mm, but that doesn't
mean you can be an idiot. You better listen to me when it counts, brat," he
answered hoarsely. It was then that Levi had had enough of the omega's teasing
and he grasped at Eren's wrists, pushing the boy away from his neck with a low
growl and holding the slim wrists in one hand, "For example, you need to get
out of this tub before I bend you over right here, I actually need to get clean
before we end up a mess again. You should go and wait for me in our bed."
Eren bit his lip, letting out a slight gasp of surprise. He wanted Levi to bend
him over right here and knot him. "Mh... No..." Eren mumbled, trying to pull
his wrists away. "Don't make me leave you."
Levi's silver eyes narrowed and he adjusted his grip on the omega's wrists.
"Such a bratty little omega. You can stay in the bathroom if you can promise to
keep control of yourself. I don't want to knot you here. It's not ideal," he
gave in easily, willing to compromise, especially since he was about as keen as
Eren about being out of each others' sight.
"Why isn't it ideal?" Eren asked, breath hot, the omega obviously getting
aroused. "Like the dungeon was ideal? Or do you prefer to take me in dark, cold
places?" Eren questioned, only half joking.
“Not what I meant, brat. You think the tile's gonna be real comfortable on your
knees for close to an hour while I'm stuck inside you? Bed's better for
cuddling," he growled, leaning in towards the omega in spite of his best
attempts to keep space between the two of them. Eren smelled so good, arousal
mingling with the light scents of the soaps clinging to the omega's damp skin
and it made the alpha's already eager cock twitch.
"I would just lay on top of you," Eren pointed out, pushing himself forward to
try and wrap his arms around Levi's neck again.
The thin thread of Levi's restraint snapped and a guttural growl sounded,
letting the omega have his way and wrap his arms back around the his neck.
"Fuck it..." He huffed under his breath, pushing himself and Eren to their feet
and tugging the omega roughly out of the cooling bath water. As soon as they
were clear of the tub, his hands slid down Eren's wet back to cup his ass and
he hitched the younger male up against him, guiding the omega's thighs around
his hips, turning towards the closest wall to trap his mate against it. He
sought Eren's mouth immediately, hips rutting up against that plump little ass
suggestively.
Eren gasped against Levi's lips, mouth immediately connecting with the alpha's
rather desperately. He felt the man rut against his ass and he moaned, toes
curling as his legs wrapped around Levi's lower back tightly.
Pale hands kneaded at the smooth cheeks, a few fingertips sneaking along the
crevasse between the supple globes to prod at the quickly slicking pucker
hidden there. Levi moaned approvingly into Eren's mouth, pressing his tongue
inside the hot cavern as he pressed the omega back into the unforgiving wall
roughly, straining erection bumping and sliding against his probing fingers,
eager to gain entrance to the constricting heat that drove him wild. "Eren...
Fuck, I can't... Mmngh... Can't wait..." He managed to pant out gruffly against
the boy's mouth.
Eren panted just as heavily against Levi's lips, letting out another whining
moan, his legs twitching with anticipation. "Then don't wait," Eren breathed
out quickly
The alpha groaned, using his slippery fingers to spread the cheeks and guide
the head of his cock to the greedy little hole, bending his knees a bit before
he thrust up inside the omega in one swift movement. His breath hitched and he
let out a low sound of pleasure as his thick cock was embraced by slick
tightness. His head dropped into the crook of the boy's shoulder. "God, it's
so... Mmn so fucking perfect inside you," he murmured huskily, nipping along
the still damp skin of his mate's neck, careful of the still tender mating bite
there.
The teen cried out immediately, nails digging into the back of Levi's neck.
"Hn-h, fuck-" Eren hissed out, tossing his head back against the wall,
connecting with a dull thud.
"This what you wanted, brat?" The alpha's gravelly voice came from right next
to the omega's ear, hot breath stirring the damp strands of chocolate hair
curling around the rim before Levi nipped at it, worrying the fleshy lobe
between his teeth. His hips shifted back before pushing in again, repeating the
slower, short motions several times to allow the omega to loosen up a bit
around him.
Eren moaned, teeth gnawing on his bottom lip as he tried to quiet himself.
"Yes... Please, yes--" Eren panted, letting out another strangled moan as the
man's member stretched his loosened but still tight, slick hole while Levi
pressed him harder into the wall.
"Mmnn... Eren..." The name came out in a purring, breathy murmur and Levi
adjusted the grip of his hands beneath the omega's thighs, palming them roughly
and hitching them higher as he bent his knees and began thrusting harder,
pulling out as far as possible before plunging back inside roughly, rocking the
omega into the supporting wall harshly with each thrust, grunting and panting
with effort, muscles tensing and relaxing with the rhythmic motions.
Eren cried out each time his body thudded roughly against the wall, Levi's cock
pressing into his sweet spot with every thrust. "Le-Le-vi--" he choked out
brokenly, unable to even form a coherent sentence.
"Such a good omega," Levi breathed against the brunette's neck hotly, giving
another firm nip to the already bruised flesh before he pulled back just enough
to watch the omega with pleasure blown eyes, tracing every trembling bit of the
young man's face and upper body that he could see. "Fucking gorgeous..."
Eren felt his cheeks heat further with embarrassment and he looked away,
closing his eyes shyly. "Mh-" he laughed breathily, unprepared for the alpha's
sincere compliment, leaning forward to press his damp forehead against Levi's,
having no words to respond.
The right corner of the alpha's mouth ticked upwards in a knowing smirk as he
watched Eren, their faces only inches apart, sweaty foreheads sliding against
one another with the motions of their bodies.
"Hold on tight," the raven warned in a breathlessly wrecked voice before he was
capturing Eren's mouth again in a brutal kiss, hips straining to move faster
and harder as Eren's slick tunnel greedily milked his throbbing cock, the lewd
squelching sounds from their fevered coupling sounding loud in the spacious
bathroom even over their heavy breathing and guttural noises of pleasure.
The boy obliged, supple arms wrapping around Levi's neck tightly so there was
no part of their bodies that weren't touching. He let out a string of moans and
cries against his alpha's mouth, pure bliss coursing through his tired body.
His erection rubbed and bumped against Levi's flexing abdominal muscles with
every thrust, causing the most teasing pleasure against the sensitive flesh.
The older man growled his approval, adjusting his grip again to release one
hand from beneath his omega to worm it's way between the sweaty press of their
bodies where his slick fingers curled around Eren's cock and squeezed a bit,
stroking in time with the intense jerking of his hips. He hadn't had the chance
to do it the last time and in the position they were currently in, he was able
to pay more attention to the omega's neglected member; it helped that he was
able to maintain at least some coherent thought this time around.
“Le-Levi I can’t--“ Eren stammered when the alpha’s hand began working at his
cock and he shuddered violently. He couldn’t handle the overwhelming onslaught
of pleasure, couldn’t handle how good Levi’s hand felt on his throbbing member.
His back arched away from the wall as he lost control, orgasm hitting him
without warning and making the omega cry out Levi’s name probably loud enough
for everyone on the surrounding floors to hear.
Levi moaned, hips pistoning into the omega, knot swelling as he felt Eren arch
and shudder, liquid heat coating their stomachs. He grunted roughly as he
pulled his hips back as far as he could, before slamming back up into Eren,
forcing his knot inside, locking them together as cock pumped his mate full of
hot, pearly cum to drown the omega's insides again. He panted hard as he
released his grip on Eren's flagging erection and reached his hand up to his
mouth to lap at the bittersweet release still warm on his palm and fingers,
watching the boy from beneath hooded lashes.
Eren took in gasping breaths, sweat thick on his brow and glistening down his
chest. “Lev-Levi...” he gasped quietly, shuddering as he went completely limp
against his alpha, almost like a rag doll. The boy was completely spent, and
Levi’s knot inside him felt so, so good.
“Mm.. Better?" The alpha hummed out, licking the last of Eren's release from
his fingers before he cupped the omega's butt again, holding the limp boy in
place against him as he lifted them from the support of the wall. He moved on
numb legs towards the door, pausing only to snatch up a clean hand towel,
expertly steadying Eren with one hand before he replaced his firm grip with the
towel just barely dangling from curled fingertips.
The teen nodded vaguely, closing his eyes as his lax legs swayed from side to
side with each step the alpha took while holding Eren against him, shifting his
knot inside him and making the boy shiver. “So good...” Eren murmured, barely
audible. “So good, Levi,” he repeated, voice cracking huskily. He pressed a few
lazy kisses to Levi’s neck and collarbone before he went quiet and limp again,
shuddering periodically as the alpha brought them both to the bed.
Levi crooned a low humming tune as he moved into the other room. He gingerly
sat down on the rumpled bed, dropping the towel next to him and reaching to
position the boy's limp legs more comfortably on either side of him, keeping
the omega furled close to his chest, elated by Eren's praise. He was proud
knowing he had done well in satisfying his mate, alpha instinct puffing its
hypothetical chest cockily. A smile curled on reddened lips as he began
meticulously ridding them of excess sweat and seed, gently running the terry
cloth over the youth's sensitive skin.
Eren's skin was much softer and more delicate than Levi's. It was typical for
omegas' skin to be much more sensitive and fair then an alpha's, which
sometimes made training while wearing the tough leather straps of the 3DM gear
a bit hard for omegas in the army. Even Eren, with his healing abilities, often
had red marks and bruises from the 3DMG for days. Though, he never really
minded. He was much more aware when it came to what was touching his skin and
how it felt, so every touch of Levi's hands or the warm towel between his
fingers made Eren shudder and goosebumps rose in their wake. He loved the feel
of those strong, calloused fingers trailing over his smooth belly and chest,
dragging along his jawline and neck with rough pressure. He couldn't get
enough.
Once he deemed them as clean as possible given the circumstances, Levi leaned
back onto the mattress and shuffled about until the both of them were on the
bed fully. He kept up a steady stroking of obscure patterns over his omega's
smooth back and shoulders, enjoying the feel of it beneath his fingertips and
the subtle shivers that ran through the boy under his attentions. He let his
thoughts wander as he drew ticklish designs on his mate's skin and closed his
eyes.
Levi thought mostly about the omega lazing on top of him, his thoughts centered
around how it felt having the boy as his mate. It hadn't exactly been expected
and it certainly hadn't been planned, but Levi did not lie when he said he
didn't regret it. He felt whole in a way he'd never experienced before and the
thought that he could possibly keep that feeling, to keep Eren for the rest of
their lives was profoundly satisfying. He began to picture more days not so
different from this one, sharing his space with his omega, reading while curled
up in the bed together when the season got cold, bathing, talking at all hours
when neither of them could sleep, soothing each other after nightmares that he
knew they both had, lazily having sex when it suited them; it was so
wonderfully domestic. And on the other side of the spectrum, they would go into
battle side by side as they had before, but there would no longer be that
distance between them; they would protect each other. He was sure that being
closer, bonding as they were would make them better partners in the field and
looked forward to training with his shifter in the coming weeks.
Of course, along with those thoughts came the ones in which he envisioned Eren
with a toddler clinging to his pant leg and a baby in his arms, and the ache
that had never quite gone away came back with throbbing intensity. It wasn't
fair...
Eren had, of course, fallen asleep almost immediately. He wished to stay awake
and enjoy the closeness he and Levi shared, but his heat didn’t allow him to do
so. He instinctively nuzzled his face deeper in Levi’s chest while he slept,
his muscles tightening gently every so often as well. He didn’t dream about
anything; he was too exhausted. He couldn’t think about a home life with Levi,
he couldn’t think about the different things they’d do together because he
honest to god, still didn’t believe this was real. He didn’t think there was
any way Captain Levi, the man he’d looked up to since he'd been a child, could
actually have feelings for him. There was no way. He didn’t deem himself worthy
of the man. He was a monster, after all. Levi’s job was to kill monsters. And,
if needed, he may have to kill Eren some day, too. Even if Eren was Levi’s
mate, it didn’t change the situation they were in.
 
===============================================================================
 
Levi smelled Erwin before the man had even reached the door to the raven's
quarters. He tensed beneath Eren, his knot having deflated some time ago, but
he hadn't moved from beneath the omega, allowing the boy to remain curled on
his chest as he slept. He could smell Erwin's anger, too and something
worse...A thread of disgust, something Levi had never received from the
commander before. Erwin wasn't just angry; he was disgusted with them. That
immediately had the dark-haired alpha's hackles raised.
He moved Eren as gently and swiftly from on top of him as he could, immediately
covering the still naked brunette in as many sheets as he had available. He
would not allow another alpha to see his omega in such a vulnerable state,
especially not an alpha with a scent like Erwin's. The boy stirred a bit in his
sleep as Levi piled sheets and blankets on top of him, but didn’t wake.
As soon as Erwin arrived at Levi’s door, the booming sounds that echoed through
the room from the power of the large alpha’s fist on the wood nearly as loud as
canons, which made Eren stir even more and furrow his brows worriedly as though
he really did think they were canons, or maybe it made him have bad dreams. It
was doubtful, that even in sleep, Eren didn’t smell Erwin’s scent. Anyone could
smell it from probably a three hundred foot radius, but the boy was too
exhausted to wake, simply curling in on himself instinctively and burrowing
further beneath the bedding his alpha had tucked over him.
Levi let out a snarl when Erwin knocked, jerking on a pair of pants, zipping
them, but not bothering once again with the button, fingers unable to get it
done up even if he'd tried. He stalked over to the door like a storm cloud, his
scent just as potent and just as pissed off for being threatened in his own
territory, and Erwin's scent was threatening.
He whipped the door open, quicksilver eyes narrowed dangerously and teeth
bared as he placed himself in the way, blocking the taller alpha from entering
immediately with his body and the door still held in his white-knuckled grip.
"Erwin," he greeted coarsely, voice low and warning.
Erwin nearly stumbled backwards from the intensity of Levi’s scent, but he
quickly composed himself, taking in a deep breath through his mouth. “Levi,” he
greeted just as coarsely. “Care to explain?” He asked, peering over the shorter
man at the pile of blankets curled on the bed.
The raven growled and took a step further into the hall, closing the door more
when he caught the alpha looking over him. Sometimes Levi cursed his damn
height; what kind of alpha was this fucking short anyways?
"What have you heard?" Levi asked in return, watching Erwin intensely, his body
language aggressive. Erwin's scent hadn't changed and the thread of disgust
actually became stronger as Erwin's suspicions grew.
“I asked Hanji how Eren’s heat was going, if the boy was being kept alone, if
he hadn’t been mated. She tried to cover up for you, but I could practically
smell the lie on her. And more importantly, when I went down to the dungeon, I
smelled you,” Erwin pointed out. “I didn’t believe it at first. Know why?
Because I know that you know that this is wrong,” he growled. “You disobeyed my
direct orders, Levi. You know Eren should not have been mated; it's too risky.”
Levi's jaw twitched as he grit his teeth. So Erwin had already checked for them
in the dungeon and spoken with the crazy scientist. Why was she such a terrible
liar?
The dark-haired alpha ran his tongue along the inside of his teeth and he
inhaled deeply, reigning in his scent and desperately fighting back the
instincts to force Erwin to leave, like right the fuck now.
"I'll take responsibility. What difference does it make now? He's already
sterile; you saw to that."
“Levi, you can't be so drunk off his scent, you didn't realize... If the
suppressants didn’t work to contain Eren’s heat, I doubt that they worked to
make him sterile,” Erwin pointed out. “And that isn’t the point. Even if Eren
is sterile, it's not a chance we can take. We can’t know for sure that he is.
And on top of it, you can’t just remove him from the dungeon as you like. You
heard the orders at court; he has to be chained up every night. Do you know
what will happen if they find out you’re keeping him in your room?” Erwin
asked, the disgust in his voice as sour as his scent.
"I don't give a fuck. If they give me any shit, I'll quit the corps, Erwin. I'm
Humanity's Strongest, everyone's fucking hero and Humanity's Hope belongs to
me. If they test me, I'll take him and disappear, and you know I can," Levi
threatened, tone dangerous and eerily soft. He was deadly serious, his gaze
unwavering from the other alpha.
“I know you can,” Erwin growled. “Even though I thought you were more loyal
than that. If they catch you trying to take Eren away, they’ll execute you
both, you know that?” Erwin warned. “I thought you would be more responsible
than this, Levi. This is Humanity’s Hope you’re talking about, and I can’t
believe you would take him away from humanity for your own selfish reasons. You
don’t even have any reason for being with the kid besides fucking him,” the
tall blonde alpha hissed. He was pissed that Levi’s sexual gratification was
apparently more important than humanity.
Levi had to physically restrain himself from lunging at the commander, his
entire body vibrating with the effort it took. His nostrils flared, a feral
growl rumbling in his chest and he breathed heavily.
"If all I wanted him for was fucking, I wouldn't have bonded him," he ground
out through clenched teeth.
Erwin stared at the bite mark on the base of Levi’s neck, disbelieving. “Just
let me take him now, Levi, it’ll save us both a lot of trouble,” Erwin
suggested lowly. “I’m going to pretend that you didn’t risk biting Eren in
spite of the fact that biting is what makes Eren turn into a damn Titan,” he
added in a growl. “Just move aside.” He attempted to step passed the shorter
male, but found him unmoving.
The raven did not budge. "I can't ..." it came out guttural and barely above a
whisper and it was pure instinct. He would not allow Erwin to take his omega.
That was unacceptable. Ancient, ingrained instinct dictated he protect his
mate, who was vulnerable, in heat and had been sleeping, resting as he should
and was now in danger. He would not hesitate to actually attack the other alpha
if Erwin thought he would physically go into Levi's territory and take what did
not belong to him.
He would quite possibly kill him if it came down to it, though somewhere
beneath the blinding onslaught of adrenaline and instinct, Levi hoped it would
not come to that. Erwin was a friend, was important; he didn't want to have to
hurt the elder man.
The tall blond froze, staring down at Levi with icy blue eyes. He didn’t know
what to do. He couldn’t take Eren from the man by force, but he couldn’t allow
Levi to keep him, either. “Levi,” the blonde sighed, exhausted and fed up.
“Why? Why the shifter of all the available omegas?”
The shorter alpha closed his eyes a moment, delicate brows furrowing while he
sucked in deep breaths through his mouth to help calm himself down. He shook
his head a little. "As if I know... There's just... something. I had to..." It
was a poor explanation, but it was as close to true as it could be. Levi wasn't
entirely sure about the things he felt for the omega and whether or not they
had all been there before the boy's heat, simply buried away in the secret
places inside of himself. He didn't understand how exactly Eren had affected
him as much as he had with just his scent and sound of his voice. It had turned
out to be far too much for the raven and he'd been compelled to mate him,
regardless of the consequences.
"You can't take him from me, Erwin. I promised to keep him. I'm his alpha; I
can't just..." he couldn't finish the sentence, a growl bubbling past his lips
instead at the thought of taking Eren back to that shitty, dark dungeon. "Is it
really so terrible? Can't you tell the snobs that I can control him better this
way or something?"
“You won't be able to kill him if he gets out of control, Levi. What higher ups
would believe an alpha would kill his own mate?" Erwin asked. "None of them
would believe that. They may take him into their custody if they find out,
Levi. This is serious. I'm only trying to help you," he assured the nearly
growling raven.
"You're wrong..." The shorter male gritted, fingers going numb in his grip on
the door. "If Eren ever gets that out of control, I'll kill him. He'd never
forgive me if I didn't. I'd do it, for him. But I would die too."
He paused after his own words, realizing the truth in them. He wouldn't live
without the omega. "Even before now... I'm not sure it wouldn't be the same."
And that was true too.
Erwin frowned, staring at the man in displeasure. "Maybe your head will be more
clear after Eren's heat is over. It's...Affecting you, I'm sure. Please try not
to mate him again. We can't risk it," Erwin said firmly, completely ignoring
the heart felt speech Levi had just given him. He still couldn't believe this
was Levi talking.
Levi's jaw twitched as he ground his teeth, and he shook his head a little.
"I'm not going to do that. There's nothing fucking wrong with my head, Erwin.
It's too late to go back; the bond's already formed. If he ends up pregnant by
some miracle, I'll take responsibility."
Erwin shook his head, running a hand through his wheat blonde hair. "You say
you'll take responsibility, but I'll still be the one who's blamed. Selfish,"
Erwin grumbled, glaring at Levi. "Selfish... You'll get us all executed."
The smaller alpha released a growling scoff, “If you're afraid to die, let me
take him away from here. You're a good liar, I'm sure you can convince them you
didn't know. Brand me a traitor. They've always thought I was scum anyway. I
won't betray Eren. He doesn't deserve to die for this cause believing himself a
monster."
The commander sighed in exasperation. "I'm not afraid of death, you know that
very well. I can't lie for you, Levi. Not for this. Eren's duty is to be
Humanity's Hope, even if that brands him as a monster. If you leave with him,
we may lose the war with the Titans. You can't live outside the walls with
Titans out there, Levi."
"I can damn well try," Levi argued, refusing to see reason. It didn't matter.
They'd likely lose the war anyways. Levi was unwilling to give up what he'd
gained by mating the shifter in order to maybe win the war. He wasn't empty
anymore, wasn't so tired he couldn't sleep and he was actually grateful to have
woken up breathing. He couldn't remember if there had ever been a time before
now that that had been true. Erwin didn't understand.
"Fine," Erwin growled. "Fine, screw everyone over who's worked so hard or even
died for the cause. You and Eren will be the ones who have to live with your
decisions." He couldn't do a damn thing without turning Levi in himself. And he
couldn't do that to Levi; he just couldn't. How had his second in command
turned traitor over some young boy that wasn't even entirely human? He could
only hold out hope that Levi would regain his common sense once Eren was no
longer clouding his mind with pheromones.
Levi snarled. It shouldn't have to be like this. The disgusted anger rolling
off the commander was bitter in the air. Levi wanted to keep Eren more than he
cared about the rest of humanity and he should be ashamed, but it tore him
apart to even consider following Erwin's advice. "If you put him back in the
dungeons, you'll have to put me there, too." He said after several long heated
moments. He'd wanted desperately to give Eren freedom, to let the boy live in
his quarters out of chains and out of the dark. The omega who shone so
blindingly bright withered in the dark. But if he couldn't give him the freedom
he desired, the least he could do was keep his mate company in the shadows.
Erwin didn't say anything more, simply shaking his head in disappointment. The
door to Levi's room slowly opened, a certain sleepy eyed omega poking his head
out cautiously. "Levi..?" Eren murmured huskily, rubbing sleep from his eyes
with one balled fist.
The raven alpha blinked at the sound of that voice, the angry sneer melting
from his features as he looked over one scratch lined shoulder, keeping his
body between his omega and the other alpha, uncertain of what Erwin might do.
Erwin just stared at the two of them, gaze flickering between the groggy boy
and his superior as they interacted, almost disbelieving in how Levi changed
his demeanor in seconds.
"What's going on...?" Eren asked slowly, his pretty eyes wide and set on the
tall commander. Did Erwin know Levi had mated Eren? The omega was only poking
his head out the door, so Erwin couldn't possibly see that he was still naked.
But if he didn't know, why was he there? He must know...
The tall blonde went rigid abruptly, nostrils flared and scenting the air still
heavy with aggression, but sweetened now by the omega. Levi watched Erwin with
narrowed eyes. "Tch, nothing you should have to worry about, brat," he replied
to Eren, voice low, but there was affection in it as he continued eyeing the
other alpha.
"Nothing at all," Erwin replied bitterly, turning on his heel and beginning to
walk away quickly with heavy feet, disgusted anger still evident in his thick
scent.
Levi could tell this wouldn't end well at all.
TBC...
***** Separation of Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
The raven alpha let out a heavy exhale, watching the commander walk off until
he'd disappeared down the stairs at the end of the corridor before Levi turned
around to face his mate, closing the door with more force than necessary and
locking it. "You should be in bed. How are you feeling?" He questioned, running
one hand through his already ruffled hair.
“Hh..Uh... Tired," Eren murmured, blinking exhaustion dulled eyes at his mate.
"I couldn't sleep...Without you," he said, rubbing at his blush stained and
heated face.
Levi looked at his omega with warm, liquid silver eyes. This boy was worth
everything. "You should have some water. Are you hungry?" He asked as he
stepped into Eren's space, gaze tracing over the tempting golden skin that was
entirely on display and he growled out a pleased hum, pale hands reaching to
slide up the brunette's sides and pull the boy against him.
"No, not really," Eren yawned, wrapping his arms around Levi's neck as he
leaned against the man, burying his nose in Levi's sweet smelling hair. "I just
want you to come back to bed."
The older hummed agreeably, palms squeezing the boy's sides briefly. "Let me
get you water before we lay back down," he said, turning his head a bit to rub
his face against the omega's affectionately.
Eren sighed, trailing his nose alongside the alpha's, accepting and returning
the affectionate gesture. It was strange, having the alpha take care of him
like this. Often omegas took care of their alphas and cleaned up after them...
But the captain seemed much different from what Eren had been raised to believe
about alphas like him. The raven understood that Eren was in heat and things
were already hard enough for him, and he also seemed to understand that Eren
could be... Fussy, when he had a fever; he really was a brat sometimes, but
even so, Levi was nothing but gentle with him.
Levi wasn't even aware that his actions were odd or abnormal in any manner. He
had the strong instinct to take care of his mate, to be a good alpha to his
omega. He wasn't consciously aware that he was doing it, entirely pleased to do
anything he could to keep his mate comfortable. His fingertips kneaded at the
dimples over Eren's backside and he turned his head to bare his neck to the boy
so that they could scent each other again. Having Eren so close and held in his
arms with their scents mingling calmed the raven's frayed nerves, still raw
from his altercation with the commander.
"What... Happened out there? Does he know about us?" Eren's voice was a whisper
as he rubbed his warm neck against Levi's, taking in the man's scent and
covering him in his own as well.
"He knows... He's not pleased about it. He's particularly unhappy with me," the
alpha responded quietly, the words sighed out of pale lips and he leaned into
Eren more.
"I'm sorry.." Eren said quietly, a pang of guilt striking him. "I didn't
mean... I didn't want my heat to cause problems..."
Levi frowned, smoothing his palms up and down the omega's back. "It's not your
fault, Eren. None of this shit is your fault," he assured adamantly, pulling
back to look into the boy's eyes. "I deliberately disobeyed orders. If
punishment is due, it's mine to take. You didn't do anything wrong." He brushed
some of the tangled strands of hair back behind Eren's ear, fingertips
lingering there as his thumb caressed over the youth's flushed cheek.
"I disobeyed orders too," Eren pointed out quietly, leaning into the ghosting
touch of the alpha's hand.
"You can't be held responsible for that; it's your first heat. I should have
had more restraint," he sighed again, looking at his mate with a tender
expression. He should have had more control over himself, abstained from
allowing his instincts to dictate his actions, but the regret he should feel
wasn't present. He couldn't explain why it had to be Eren, but it did. His
body, instincts, mind, everything inside him had agreed and drawn him to the
omega. "I'll talk to Erwin again once you've recovered. We'll figure something
out."
Eren gave a slight nod, a deep frown forming on his soft lips. He was so
worried that this wouldn't work out. He was foolish to think that he could stay
with Levi, that no one would try to make him leave. He felt so stupid, but most
of all, he felt sad. He wanted to be with the alpha, his mate, more than
anything and he felt like it was impossible.
Levi could see and smell the omega's upset and crooned low and soft without
realizing he was even doing it, wrapping the hand on Eren's head around the
back of the boy's neck and pulling him in close, holding him, desperate to
quell the kid's insecurities. "I'm not letting you go now that I have you."
Eren buried his face in the crook of Levi's neck, closing his eyes as he let
out a breath of relief. He believed every word Levi spoke because, well, how
could he not? The man sounded so convincing, and he had to believe it because
the alternative meant giving him up without a fight.
The raven didn't know how he was going to keep his word, but he would die
trying. He would figure something out with Erwin once their anger faded. At
least he knew he had Hanji as an ally. The woman was crazy, but she was also
smart and could be as persuasive as Erwin when she wanted something. Levi had
no doubt she wanted to study his bond with the shifter; she'd do whatever she
could to insure she would have the opportunity to do just that.
The teen wished, for the first time in a while, that he wasn't himself. He
wished he wasn't what he was. He wished he wasn't a monster, so maybe then he
and Levi could be normal. Levi was taking the brunt of the trouble from Erwin,
when really Eren was the one that should be dealing with it. Levi was normal,
unique for an alpha, but not inhuman. Normal. And Eren was not. Levi deserved
normal.
"Stop it," the alpha ordered, still holding the boy close to him, wrapping the
omega in his protective scent. He could practically taste the self deprecation
in Eren's thoughts. He knew exactly what the dumb brat was thinking, blaming
himself as always, so willing to take the responsibility for things that were
beyond his means to control.
Eren hid his face deeper in Levi's neck in embarrassment at the fact that Levi
knew exactly what went on in his head. "I wasn't even doing anything," he
mumbled in defence, lips vibrating against Levi's neck.
"Tch, pull the other one, brat; it's got bells on it," the alpha muttered
knowingly, arms giving Eren another tight squeeze. He was quiet for a few
seconds, burying his nose in the omega's hair and inhaling deeply.
"Why do you bother thinking that shit?"
The brunette shrugged slightly. “I guess ever since I became a titan, that's
how everyone’s treated me, so... Of course I started to feel that way,” he
admitted in an ashamed whisper.
"Turning into a titan is an ability, Eren, one you never asked for, I might
add; it's not who you are. Who you are is what makes you more human than anyone
else I've ever met." The raven paused, collecting his thoughts and trying turn
them into words. "Maybe that's why I chose you to be my mate. You can't control
what cowards think, Eren, but you can prove them wrong and live. You get to
choose what you believe. If I listened to every shitty thing people have said
about me over the years, I'd be far more of a monster than you could ever be."
Eren pulled his face away from Levi’s throat, looking at the alpha with wide
eyes. He didn’t really know much about Levi’s past, only that he'd lived in the
underground until Erwin brought him into the scouting legion. He didn’t know
what kind of horrors the man had faced down there, though he knew above ground,
many saw Levi as cold, callous, and heartless. But Eren knew that if they could
hear the words Levi was saying right now, they would probably change their
minds. He didn’t say anything, leaning forward to press his forehead against
Levi’s as a silent, but meaningful show of gratitude.
Levi's eyes swirled with emotion, blue and silver warring for dominance as he
watched Eren, bumping his forehead against the omega's a bit in response to his
silent thanks. He couldn't even begin to describe how incredibly fucked up it
was that he'd had to tell the fifteen year old such things; Eren didn't deserve
to feel the way he did about himself. It made Levi's chest constrict and his
heart felt incredibly heavy within the tight confines.
He threaded his fingers through the tangled hair at the back of the boy's head
and drew him in further to press their lips together, hoping to convey the
feelings he didn't have the words to describe, chaste and lingering for several
long moments until his lungs demanded breath, forcing him to pull away. "Let me
get you something to drink and we'll go back to bed."
Eren nodded again, nearly tempted to throw himself forward to connect his lips
with Levi’s again, but he refrained. His arms slowly fell from where they’d
wrapped around Levi’s neck, his fingers twitching as his hands rested by his
sides. He couldn’t help it anymore and he quickly leaned forward, pressing his
lips to Levi’s once again and then pulling away just as fast before he
pretended like nothing had happened, shuffling back over to the bed and nearly
collapsing in it from how exhausted he was and how damn comfortable Levi’s
mattress was.
The alpha blinked wide eyes for a moment, caught off guard by the swift
pressure on his lips that was so fleeting that only the lingering tingle of
warmth proved he hadn't imagined it. He watched the omega beat a hasty retreat,
an amused chuckle escaping his throat and he shook his head as the kid
collapsed into the bed.
He turned away from the sight and crossed to the far side of the room where his
small kitchenette was situated. He hummed unconsciously as he opened cabinets,
retrieving glasses and tins of tea and a pot of honey that he had in his
possession solely for the odd times Eren had shared tea with him ,and he
couldn't stop a small smile from curling his lips while thinking about having
to stock more of the sweet syrup. He prepared iced tea for them; it was
something he didn't drink very often, but thought Eren would enjoy,
particularly while he was still suffering heat symptoms. He also sliced two
bright green apples into thin slivers, plated them and drizzled threads of
honey over them, knowing how tart the fruit actually was. He didn't have a
great deal of other food in his cupboards or the small icebox besides some
cheese and dried meat, bland crackers, and rose jelly of which he made another
plate up. Eren had said he wasn't hungry, but the alpha could feel a hollowness
in his own belly, belatedly realizing he had last eaten with the omega the
previous morning. They should both eat. So it was, he placed the two plates and
cool glasses of sweet iced lemon lavender tea onto a tray, balancing it with
careless grace in one hand as he made the trek to the bed where his mate was
curled up in his sheets.
"Scoot over, brat," he ordered, though there was an almost playful quality to
the tone when he spoke.
Once he was seated on the mattress, he set the tray down carefully on the
little stand at the side of the bed, brushing fingers through the omega's
fringe once his hands were free.
"I know you said you weren't hungry, but neither of us has had anything since
yesterday morning."
Eren looked up at the alpha with half-lidded, sleepy eyes. "Really..?" He
asked, furrowing his brows. "I didn't think it'd been that long..." He didn't
even feel hungry. He rubbed his eyes again, sinking deeper into the mattress.
"I don't feel good," he admitted quietly. His heat was most likely starting to
wear off, leaving the omega exhausted and sore in its wake and maybe a little
cranky, too.
Levi hummed his acknowledgement, watching the obviously tired boy. "At least
have some apples and you have to drink the sweet tea," he verbalized, half
turning to grab the chilly glass before reaching to assist his mate in sitting
up enough to drink it. Levi guided the boy to lean back against his chest while
he brought the glass to Eren's lips.
The omega settle dback against his mate's broad chest, hands wrapping around
Levi's to help bring the glass to his mouth. He didn't want any apples or any
tea; he just wanted to sleep, but he wouldn't go against Levi's wishes,
especially not after the alpha had done so much for him already during his
heat. He knew the older male was looking out for him.
He downed his tea and as soon as the apples were near, the two couldn't resist
feeding each other, sharing kisses, and honestly doing everything ooey gooey
that they would've never done before until they'd finished up the apples and
Eren had slowly started to drift off against Levi's warm body once again.
Levi was happy to let Eren doze off against him once he'd gotten him to eat and
drink. The alpha finished off the rest of the food he'd prepared and his own
beverage, soothing the hollow ache that had gone unnoticed until he'd begun to
eat. He set all the dishes back on the tray, leaving it on the nightstand as he
laid back into the sheets that smelled of the both of them and got comfortable,
manoeuvring the lethargic and pliant omega against his side and wrapping a
possessive arm around him before he also closed his eyes, more exhausted than
he'd realized.
Through that day and even that night, Eren slept longer than he had during the
entirety of his heat, possibly longer than he ever had in his entire life. He
slept for a good fifteen hours straight at the least, though it could’ve been
more. He would’ve been able to sleep for days if that was possible.
 
===============================================================================
 
The alpha woke to the soft sound of his mate's breath and rolled onto his side,
propping himself up on one elbow to look down at the peacefully slumbering boy
for several minutes before his bladder reminded him why he'd been roused in the
first place. He placed a gentle kiss to Eren's forehead before he slipped out
of the bed, tucking the sheets in around the still nude boy before he went into
the bathroom. He went through his usual routine, bathing and seeing to his
personal upkeep before he dressed in a pair of comfortable pants, forgoing
anything else and finally tidying up the minor build up of clutter in his
quarters all while the boy slept on.
When he'd finished and was satisfied that their quarters were adequately clean,
he sat at his desk to attempt making a dent in the pile of paperwork on its
surface.
Eren probably could’ve passed for dead, he slept so long. But eventually he
awoke, his body was forcing itself awake even though his mind was reluctant to
do the same. When his mind finally turned on a bit and he became more alert, he
shifted in the nest of bedding and let out a slight whine when all he heard was
the shuffling of paper from across the room.
Levi looked up from the documents on his desk, pen stilling against the paper
when he heard the whine from the bed. He watched Eren waking up, body stilled
as if waiting for some prompt from his mate, uncertain what Eren's mood would
be upon waking. His heat was over, Levi knew. The scent was weak now, most of
the smell simply lingering from when they'd last had sex and Eren had been
immersed in his heat. Levi didn't feel a whole lot different than he had, still
possessive and protective of his new mate, but no longer unable to control the
intensity of the feelings. He still wanted the omega shifter as much as he had;
his mind hadn't changed, but there was a thread of insecurity that had him
questioning whether or not Eren would still feel the same.
The boy rolled over restlessly a few times before he blinked open his eyes,
surprised by the brightness of the sun shining in his face. God, he couldn't
even remember what day it was. He sat up a bit, squinting in the sunlight as he
tried to make out Levi's figure at the desk. He blinked almost confusedly.
"Eren..." Not brat, not kid, not Jaeger, but his name rolled off Levi's lips
like it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted; it was almost sinful and
he had had absolutely no control over it. Looking at the omega, rumpled from
sleep and sex, bathed in a mess of marks left by the alpha's mouth and hands,
and smelling like he belonged to Levi, the alpha was blindsided by the abrupt
wave of attraction he felt.
He'd never thought much about his sexual preferences. He'd tried both and found
them both equally as satisfying physically, but ultimately hollow, never cared
to explore further. It had never mattered. He'd been in the presence of unmated
omegas in heat before and had never even gotten fully hard in spite of the
pheromones; it had never been enough to truly affect him. Nothing had. Then
there was Eren.
It didn't matter that the omega was no longer in heat or that he was worried
the boy would suddenly decide he'd made a terrible mistake because when Eren
blinked at him, those beautiful green eyes still foggy, half-lidded and soft
with sleep, Levi broke the damn pen he was holding.
"Oh!" Eren flinched when the pen snapped in half, ink squirting all over Levi's
hand. "Levi? What's the matter?"
The alpha tried to speak, but all that came out was a low sort of husky growl
that was pitched entirely differently than any he had produced before. How long
had it been since he'd heard his mate's voice? How many hours had it been since
he'd looked into those endless seas of green? He'd actually thought the giant
trees had been beautiful once, but that was before he'd been introduced to
Eren's eyes. He swallowed hard against a suddenly dry mouth and licked parched
lips. He let go of the broken pen pieces, letting them scatter over the already
ruined document, but his gaze did not waver from the omega, the mercury of his
eyes lit up like moonlit water and glimmered with carnality that was
dangerously close to spilling over. He was hard and he could feel a bead of
sweat rolling down the back of his neck, trekking between his shoulder blades.
His scent quite suddenly poured in searing waves off of him, the alpha in him
trying to lure his omega without his consent. When Eren shifted, Levi's eyes
flickered to the mark on his shoulder and the alpha's scent grew even stronger
with desire. He was breathing heavier, not quite panting yet, heartbeat
thundering in his ears. He thought this might be worse than it had been when
the omega was in heat. This was entirely him, no pheromones pressuring his
instincts, intoxicating him until he'd not been able to think clearly. Levi was
thinking clearly. He desperately wanted to touch the omega without that
lingering doubt that the feelings were real and not heat-induced as Erwin had
implied. He had to have him. But still he didn't move, waiting with bated
breath for his omega's response to the sudden display.
Eren cocked his head slightly, almost like a confused puppy. He rubbed the back
of his neck, frowning. "Are you feeling okay, Captain?" He asked, feeling much
more like he used to be before his heat. He almost felt like he'd been dreaming
the whole time and Levi had never actually claimed him. He wasn't sure how Levi
would react to him now that his heat was over. The scents rolling off Levi
didn't even seem to reach the frazzled omega, Eren's scents and hormones much
too jumbled to really register what was new and what was just lingering from
his heat.
Levi's jaw twitched as his teeth clenched. He tried to focus on breathing in
through his nose and out through his mouth and uncurl his fingers from where
they were digging into his palms and turning numb. He managed a tiny nod in
response to Eren's concern. He didn't know how the omega couldn't figure out
what it was from the vicious lust permeating his scent, but Levi couldn't even
find his voice to explain anything.
The youth was still quite drowsy, but he finally smelled the air and he smelled
the alpha's lust, but it was mixed with the scent of sex from the day before,
so he wasn't exactly sure what was going on. He rubbed his face again, sinking
back down into the bed and pulling the blanket up to his chin. The omega was
almost completely oblivious to his alpha's lust, too lost in his own soreness
and tiredness. Eren was the complete opposite of horny right now, as most
omegas were after heat. "How long have I been asleep?" Eren mumbled.
The raven hissed out a slow breath between his teeth, reigning in his sudden
arousal and wrestling with his scent. Eren was not only here for that. He had
just woken from his heat; he needed to bathe and eat and was likely a little
sore still, despite his shifter healing. The alpha closed his eyes reluctantly,
so that he could answer. "At least a day, maybe a day and a half by now," he
managed to reply, voice breaking under the strain. "Are you...? Your heat's
finished. How do you feel? Do you need anything?" He sounded so wrecked even to
himself and maybe it would be best if Eren went for a bath or something, just
so the alpha could properly will away the sudden onslaught of desire. Where the
hell had it even come from? Had he been suppressing it all along and now that
he'd mated Eren, it had surfaced all at once?
Levi's voice sounded so strained and broken, like he was trying not to scream
at the top of his lungs. "I'm... Alright," Eren replied quietly, "I'm tired...
I think I slept too long; it made my head hurt. And I'm still sore
from...Yesterday. I don't know why..." He'd thought he'd feel great when he
woke up. Though, Titan healing took heat, Eren's body had been using up all its
heat and energy for... Well... Sex and obviously his abilities were unable to
take care of the lingering effects of his heat until he'd recovered some of
that spent energy.
The captain nodded, "It's probably too much for your body to handle all at
once. You'll be feeling better in a couple days. You should take a bath," he
suggested, licking his lips and inhaling deeply before exhaling slowly. His
arousal was still simmering under his skin, but reason told him he couldn't
just do whatever he wanted to Eren whenever he wanted, no matter how badly he
wanted the boy. He wasn't that kind of alpha... Eren needed to be cared for at
the moment, not molested. Given what was likely awaiting them once they left
his quarters, maybe he just didn't want to return to reality yet.
After several long seconds in which Levi simply breathed and tried to will away
his sudden and stubborn erection, he stood from his desk, the chair scraping
loudly against the floor. He turned away from the omega and towards the
kitchenette to wash the ink from his trembling fingers, ignoring the still
somewhat prominent tent in his pants.
Once his hands were clean of the royal blue colouring, he dried them and turned
back towards Eren, more restrained than he had been previously. He took slow,
deliberate steps towards the boy in his bed to avoid pouncing on him.
As Levi got closer, Eren could smell the thick wave of arousal coming off the
man. It was so strong, nearly as strong as it had been during Eren's heat. The
boy stiffened, looking away and pretending he didn't know Levi was incredibly
horny. He didn't want to upset the alpha by denying him sex. It was his right
as alpha to have his mate as he liked, but Eren didn't think he could
physically do it.
Levi stopped moving when he was close enough to touch Eren, but he didn't,
fingers twitching at his sides. He could see the rigidity of the omega's body,
he knew that Eren had finally realized what was happening and he forced himself
to keep still and simply watched the boy carefully. He didn't want to scare
Eren. He needed his mate to know that it was okay to refuse him; Levi would
never force him. "I'm sorry," his voice was thick with the apology and he meant
it. He wasn't sorry for wanting his mate because there was nothing shameful in
that pure desire for his omega, but he was sorry it was happening at the most
inopportune time and that it was distressing the boy.
"D-don't apologize," the omega stammered quickly, head snapping back towards
his alpha. "Don't... I... I just don't want to disappoint you. I don't think I
can... I'm just too sore and out of it, Levi..." Eren explained a bit hastily
as if expecting reprimand from the alpha.
"It's okay. I'm far from disappointed in you, brat," Levi said breathily, "I
don't know what's come over me. It's never happened to me before." Wasn't that
the fucking truth... All of this was new to the alpha. He wasn't exactly well
versed in expressing himself.
"Is it... Mm, can I at least touch you?"
Eren nodded hesitantly. He felt so strange, like the opposite of how he had
during his heat. His instincts were telling him not to let Levi touch him, or
any alpha for that matter. But that was only because his body was still
recovering and instinctively shied away from the prospect of more intercourse.
Even though the alpha's body was releasing such an intense scent, his touch was
gentle. His fingertips trembled a little when they finally traced along the
side of the boy's face, reverent and almost hesitant. He'd only been given
permission to touch and that's all he did. He brushed fingers into Eren's hair
and cupped his ear. "What do you need right now, Eren?" he asked quietly, voice
still thick with apology and heat. He didn't know what he was supposed to do.
He would do anything Eren asked, whatever the omega needed now in the aftermath
of his first heat, the alpha would do his best to give it to him; he just
needed to hear it from his mate. Even though Levi desperately wanted at the
moment; Eren's needs were more important. Eren would never give him permission
to touch him again if he was selfish now.
The young man couldn't help but close his eyes, unconsciously pressing his face
into Levi's hand. He truthfully didn't know what he needed. He didn't know how
he felt right now, besides the fact he felt profoundly empty. He didn't know
what to do now that his heat was over. He didn't know how to be a proper omega.
"I don't know," Eren admitted quietly, voice a bit shaky as the barely audible
words escaped his pink lips.
Levi sucked on his bottom lip, scenting the omega's insecurity and a low croon
vibrated through his chest in response. He cupped Eren's jaw with his hand,
thumb rubbing lightly along the column of the omega's throat. "Do you want a
bath? Are you hungry? You said you were still tired; do you want to sleep
more?" the questions came out in quick, breathy succession. He badly needed to
make his mate feel comfortable again. He didn't like that scent on Eren's skin.
Eren blinked open his eyes again to look at Levi in slight surprise. "I... No,
no I'm fine.." he assured the man, clearing his throat. "But I'm sure... Armin
and Mikasa are wondering where I've disappeared to..." His voice was a little
strained, worry evident in the tone.
The alpha almost cursed, but managed to stifle it with a rumbling hum. He'd
nearly forgotten about the boy's friends. They were no doubt worried,
especially considering the combination of rumours that were floating around.
"Do you want me to send someone to get them?" He asked, voice tight in spite of
his best efforts to keep it level. He didn't really want the other two kids in
their quarters, but if Eren wanted to see them, he would deny him nothing.
"Maybe I'll... Go take a bath first and then go see them if I feel well
enough..?" the boy replied, though he doubted Levi would want him to leave his
quarters so soon after finishing his heat. The omega felt so strange and
honestly a bit distant, like he was confused about the fact that he was still
Levi's omega.
The only real sign that the alpha wasn't very keen on the idea was a narrowing
of silver depths, but he didn't argue. He had wanted to give the kid freedom,
not simply change his cage. The raven nodded. "Alright," he agreed out loud,
his fingers lingering in Eren's hair another long moment before he moved away
to run the omega a bath. The smell of sex was still rather thick in the
bathroom, but Levi didn't want to open the window to air it out yet, unwilling
to share his mate's scent.
Eren watched Levi move out of the bedroom area, fidgeting as he did so. He
wanted to follow the man, but he didn't dare to. He didn't dare to do anything.
Without the heavy instincts of his heat guiding him, he had no clue how to
interact with the alpha. His hand came up to the mark on the base of his neck
once more, his eyes flicking down to his bare body that had been uncovered from
the sheets. He was afraid he would mess this up somehow, that he already had.
Levi delayed returning to the other room for several moments, waiting for the
tub to fill entirely and shutting off the taps before he went to retrieve his
mate, assuming that Eren didn't feel up to moving himself since he hadn't
followed the alpha. He was quite a fair bit calmer after spending those few
minutes away from the omega, though the warmth of arousal still burned in his
gut. He'd at least... convinced his erection to fade entirely.
He stopped in the doorway to the bathroom, watching Eren on the bed, sharp gaze
flicking to where the omega had his hand pressed to the bite Levi had placed on
him. He tried to read the thoughts flickering behind the kid's eyes, but he
couldn't quite figure them out. It was obvious Eren was nervous and insecure,
but the alpha wasn't entirely sure why and how he was supposed to comfort the
boy. It'd been easy when he was in heat.
"Water's ready. Do you want help?" he asked, voice more level than it had been
and he swallowed after offering to assist the teen into the bath. He tried not
to look over all the naked flesh on display, instead keeping his gaze
stubbornly above Eren's shoulders.
“No,” Eren refused quickly, nearly scrambling out of the bed and wrapping a
sheet around himself to cover himself up. “I’m fine, I don’t need help.” He
strode over to the older, lowering his head as he brushed past the man, trying
to pretend like his hips didn’t ache as badly as they did.
"Okay..." the alpha agreed, biting the inside of his cheek, fingers clenching
and unclenching. Eren wanted space; he understood that much from his reaction,
but he hadn't expected it to hurt like it did. It felt like rejection.
He stepped out of the doorway, turning to close the door most of the way once
Eren had brushed passed him. Then he was ripping the sheets off the bed and
replacing them with fresh ones, frustration evident in every motion.
Eren had a bit of trouble getting into the bath, his body too sore and
exhausted to make climbing over the steep ledge of the basin as simple of an
act as it normally would be. And once he was in the warm water, it felt so
wrong. It felt so uncomfortable to be alone in the big bath tub that didn’t
belong to him, to be in a room all by himself without Levi present. He could
hear the obviously angry motions of sheets whipping and thumping as they hit
the ground, and Eren assumed Levi was trying to get rid of Eren’s scent on the
bedding despite the fact that the alpha had been horny for him only minutes
before. He lazily washed himself with the soap on the side of the tub, hands
barely moving as he stared blankly at the white bathroom wall. He didn’t like
this.
He didn’t even bother to wash his hair before he pulled the plug, water
beginning to swirl down the drain as Eren just sat in the slowly emptying tub.
Once it was drained of liquid and the omega had begun to shiver, he finally
found the strength to pull himself up out of the tub and wrap his dripping body
in one of the towels from the cabinet. Even though it was clean, it still
smelled like Levi and made it him feel lonely.
He slowly shuffled out of the bathroom, stilling in the doorway and staring at
Levi still jerkily stripping and redressing the bed. “Why are you changing the
sheets?” he questioned softly.
The alpha actually jumped when Eren spoke, having been lost in his own self-
deprecating thoughts, trying to figure out what he had done to warrant
rejection from his omega. He'd managed to control himself; he'd been gentle,
was doing absolutely everything he could fucking think of to make Eren
comfortable; what had he done to deserve Eren's rejection?
He froze, a sheet crumpled in his hands as he turned to look at the boy, body
tense and rigid. "They have to be washed," he said belatedly and as if he
suddenly realized he was still holding one, dropped it onto the pile already
accumulated on the floor next to him, immediately reaching with frustratingly
shaking hands for a fresh one from the neatly folded pile of replacements he'd
laid out on the nightstand. He didn't even realize the underlying tone beneath
Eren's question. Cleaning just made him feel better and the sheets did need to
be washed. It wasn't like Eren's scent was going to be erased from the bed,
already permeating the comfortable mattress. Which could be a good or bad thing
for the alpha depending on whether or not his mate was really going to reject
him.
“Am I... Am I allowed on the clean sheets?” Eren questioned, furrowing his
brows and worrying his bottom lip, avoiding making eye contact with the tense
alpha. “Or.. Should I go back to the dungeons..?”
Levi blinked slowly, realization finally sinking into his frazzled mind. "What
kind of fucking question is that? Of course you're allowed on the sheets, brat.
It's your bed too, isn't it?" His voice came out harsher than he'd meant it to,
but he honestly couldn't help it; he was on an emotional bender at the moment,
too many feelings and desires warring with one another inside him and Eren's
odd behaviour was only making it worse.
"Come here," he demanded after a second's hesitation, motioning with one pale
hand.
The omega shuffled over to the alpha reluctantly, still holding the towel
tightly against his bare body. “My heat’s over, but I know you…You still want
to do... That. I thought maybe… Because I didn’t want to… Maybe you didn’t want
me here anymore,” he admitted shakily.
“Don't be stupid. What kind of shithead do you think I am, brat?" the alpha
questioned gruffly, annoyed by the kid's words and the nervous way he was
moving and grasping the damn towel like it was a fucking lifeline. Levi took a
deep breath to calm his raging emotions before he opened his arms to the omega.
"Let me scent you at least?" he asked, almost pleading. He wanted to cover
himself in Eren's scent and vice versa, needed that connection more than he'd
realized. He didn't like how faded it was on the boy's skin since he'd bathed
and already feeling low because of their rocky start to the morning. Fucking
fuck; what had he been thinking? He didn't know how to be a mate.
Eren froze, staring at the alpha when he asked to scent him. He'd been doubting
himself this whole time, afraid the man wouldn't want him as his omega anymore.
When Levi begged his permission to scent him again, to place claim and be
claimed again, he didn't hesitate to drop his towel, practically throwing
himself at the man, relieved that he had been wrong.
Levi let out a breathy chuckle when Eren practically bowled him over and
wrapped his arms around the boy tightly in return. He buried his face against
the omega's neck, nosing against the sensitive glands and closing his eyes in
relief. Eren felt so good in his arms, so fucking right, that he forgot all
about his previous insecurity, breathing in the soft, sweet scent that emanated
from his mate's skin.
"I can't help wanting you, brat, but I'd never force you. I already told you
that we're equals here. You don't have to do anything if you don't want to. I'm
just... I don't even understand it. I don't know what I'm doing any more than
you do," he murmured against Eren's collar, lips brushing ever so lightly
against the still tender bite.
The omega closed his eyes, taking shaky breaths as he rubbed his neck against
Levi's. "I'm sorry," he breathed, arms tightening around the alpha. "I don't
know how to do this, Levi," he admitted in a near whisper.
"It's fine, brat, we'll figure it out," he breathed, tilting his head to better
rub their glands against one another. Pale fingers slipped up Eren's spine to
brush through the soft hair at the nape of the boy's neck, pulling him as close
as physically possible.
"You don't have to ever think I won't want you. I'm always going to want you.
You're beautiful, Eren. I'm glad you're mine. When you acted so standoffish, I
thought," the words were rushed near whispers as if Levi couldn't get them out
fast enough even as he tried to keep them from falling passed his lips,
"Fuck... I thought I'd done something wrong. Since you weren't in heat anymore,
I thought that you were having second thoughts. You've got me so fucking wound
up, brat."
Eren blushed and shook his head a little against Levi's neck. "I'm not having
second thoughts. I thought you were having second thoughts because I didn't
want more sex," he confessed, voice strained with emotion. He held onto the
older male desperately tight as the alpha's words sunk in
"You make me stupid, you know that?" the alpha huffed quietly, a hint of humour
in his low voice as he pulled back only to press his face to the other side of
the brunette's throat. "Tch, I wouldn't have bonded you in the first place if I
only wanted to fuck you."
The shifter nodded slowly. Levi made a good point. "You're right, I know," Eren
assured the alpha, rubbing himself against Levi unconsciously.
Levi hummed as if to agree that he was always fucking right. He pulled away
after another few minutes, finding the strength of the scent marking on the
both of them satisfactorily strong. He used his grip in Eren's hair to pull him
into a kiss that was neither chaste nor passionate, but somewhere in between
before the kid could protest and then he let him go entirely.
"Find something to wear. You aren't going to visit your friends naked," he
asserted, gaze sliding up and down the lithe and entirely nude body of the
youth before him, that lingering heat sparking in the mercury depths, but he
didn't act on it at all, a small smirk curving the side of his lips and he
gestured at the chest of drawers located on the other side of the bed.
"Your... Clothes?" Eren asked in confusion. "You want me to wear..." He trailed
off, running a hand through his hair. It's not like Eren had any of his clothes
with him. But what would Armin and Mikasa say? No-no; he didn't care. He
pressed his nose and lips to Levi's cheek to give him a small peck as a thank
you before he made his way over to the dresser, pulling out a long sleeved
white shirt and a pair of pants.
When he managed to put them on, the shirt was much too big. It was baggy and
loose on the omega because of Levi's broader frame, but the pants, on the other
hand, were much too tight and didn't cover his legs all the way, leaving his
ankles exposed.
Levi watched the omega get dressed, not even attempting to hide the fact,
finding it entirely satisfying to have his mate wearing his clothing. He
covered a smile with one hand when Eren had finished. He looked fucking
adorable in the over sized shirt and too short trousers. Levi almost laughed,
but managed to cover it well.
"You're going to have to settle for wearing slippers; I don't have an extra
pair of boots to fit you," he said after his gaze had made it to the kid's
still naked feet, "They're by the door."
"Okay. I'll grab my clothes on my way back," he commented idly, looking down at
himself. "I suppose I can't wear your clothes every day..." He sighed, walking
back over to the alpha and wrapping his arms around his neck carefully.
The raven alpha slipped his arms comfortably around Eren's waist when the teen
came to him, hands slipping under the back of the overlarge shirt to palm at
the kid's lower back and he gave him a little squeeze. "You could, but it might
be a little difficult for you to train in my pants," he said as one hand
trailed to the firmness of the omega's ass, the material of the borrowed
trousers tantalizingly taught across the plump cheeks, a playful smirk tilting
normally thinned lips as he groped his mate without an ounce of embarrassment.
"I'll clear out a drawer for your things," he said after a moment, making what
seemed only a natural offer to share the space with the other male. "You better
go before I decide I can't let you," he suggested, his fingers still stroking
against Eren's backside affectionately, but there was humour in his voice.
Eren smiled slightly, an endearing blush staining his cheeks. "Alright. I'll be
back as soon as I can," he assured his mate, running his lips along the mark on
Levi's neck before he turned to head for the door.
Levi nodded, a low hum of pleasure rumbling in his chest at the feel of lips
over the sore mark on his neck and he pulled Eren back to him before he could
get too far.
"If anyone gives you any shit, you come find me. I'll be here or in Eyebrows'
office," he ordered, eyes serious again, "Don't get into any trouble."
He let Eren go after he'd given his warning. "Be safe, brat," he said in
farewell when Eren finally disappeared out the door.
 
 
***** A Lost Heart *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Chapter Notes
     *Trigger Warning:* Self-harm, violence and blood.
     *SPOILER*
     Attempted abortion...
Eren would be safe. He had someone to return to now, after all. He walked down
the halls, every omega and alpha staring at him when they caught the captain’s
scent all over him. The brunette made his way down to the mess hall at a slower
pace than was usual for him, where he assumed Armin and Mikasa would be since
it was around lunch time. He slowly walked through the crowded mess hall, eyes
searching for his friends as he tried to avoid all the eyes he could feel
staring at him. Once he spotted Mikasa and Armin sitting at their usual table,
he made his way over despite the fact Jean and some others were sitting there
as well.
Mikasa noticed the omega first and was standing on her feet almost instantly,
gaze narrowed on the brunette making his way towards them, who was wearing
clothes that were obviously not his own. "Where the hell have you been, Eren?"
she asked angrily when he was in earshot, her palms on the table top before
her. Her nostrils flared when the scent of him washed over her and she tensed,
going rigid, fingers curling into fists on the table's surface. "What's that
smell?" She asked, even though she already knew. It was way too familiar and it
made her protective instincts flare, angered by the scent of another alpha on
her brother.
Her dark eyes traced over him with intense scrutiny, taking in every mark that
was visible, the even more bedraggled state of his hair and the awkward sway to
his gait that made her hackles rise further in suspicion. Armin was looking
between the alpha and approaching omega with wide eyes, confused by Mikasa's
sudden outburst until he too picked up on the brunette's unusual appearance.
"Mikasa," he called quietly, trying to sooth the female alpha's upset. They
didn't know anything yet; it wouldn't do if she drove Eren away before he even
had a chance to explain.
“I’ve been…Busy,” Eren answered quietly, not wanting to voice details of what
had happened in front of everyone, especially as Jean started chuckling.
“Yeah, real busy I bet,” Jean agreed, his eyes narrowing to match the thin
smirk that adorned his lips. “He’s been fucking someone, Mikasa,” Jean said as
though it was obvious... Which it really was.
The girl grit her teeth, a low, menacing growl sounding from her. "I'll kill
that midget," she threatened, tone venomous. Armin heaved a sigh and pinched
the bridge of his nose.
"Mikasa, calm down. Eren, maybe you should explain a little more," he said,
casting a warning glance at Jean to keep his damn mouth shut. Mikasa was
already jumping to conclusions; he didn't need to add any more fuel to the
fire.
“Mikasa,” Eren said firmly, pulling down the collar of his shirt to show the
bite mark on his neck. “I wouldn’t let you hurt him, Mikasa. He’s my mate now,”
he practically growled at the alpha female, tone entirely serious in his
warning.
She blanched, lips pursing angrily. "You let him bond you? Have you lost your
mind?" She couldn't believe what she was seeing. What the hell was he thinking?
Armin's brows rose as he also took in the sight of the fresh marking, "I have
to agree with her, Eren. That's a little risky, isn't it? What was the captain
thinking? Did the Commander condone this?"
“Commander Erwin doesn’t approve. He already talked to Levi about it, but I… I
don’t know what he’s going to do. It’s not either of your decisions or his for
that matter; you can’t tell me what to do,” he responded petulantly. It didn’t
matter that Levi was nearly twenty years his elder, it didn’t matter that this
was forbidden. They belonged together. “I wanted him to bond me. I bonded him,
too."
Armin blinked, mouth opening to speak, but he was cut off by a snarl from
Mikasa, "You wanted him to?! He's obviously taken advantage of you, you have to
see that. Why else would he do it?"
"Maybe because he has feelings for me," the brunette snapped. "I even moved
into his quarters and everything, I'm going to get the rest of my stuff. You
have no right to accuse my alpha of not wanting me."
She scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest tightly, "Then how come he
never showed any interest in you before?"
"Mikasa, you can't just make assumptions. We don't know how it happened. Even
if it seems unlikely, we can't just assume the worst," Armin scolded, but the
alpha wasn't listening, her heated and angry gaze stubbornly stuck on her
brother. She didn't care if it was upsetting Eren; he was being an idiot.
"Even the Commander thinks it's a bad decision. I heard some rumours, but I
didn't believe them. I still can't believe it and the evidence is all over you.
He practically mauled you... Animal."
"He didn't maul me; he marked me like a proper alpha and it doesn't matter
because I'll heal soon anyway, alright?" Eren argued in a low growl, unhappy
that he and his mate were being verbally attacked. "The commander doesn't know
anything. He doesn't have an omega and neither do you. You don't understand."
The ravenette tossed her head, jaw twitching as she ground her teeth together
in irritation.
"Whoa whoa whoa, hold up. You were busy fucking the captain? As in Captain
Levi? That's got to be breaking all kinds of regulations. But I guess it makes
sense now, all that one on one training he was giving you. You must be good too
huh, since you're on his squad," Jean piped up, sarcasm and mean spirited
innuendo written clear through his words. Armin made a sound somewhere between
a whine and haggard sigh. This was getting wildly out of hand.
"You know what, you horse faced-"
"Eren! Just who I was looking for," Hanji's voice rang out from next to him,
interrupting Eren's rebuttal.
"M-major Hanji," Eren stammered. "How did you know my heat was over?"
"I happened to pass a certain very short and very grouchy alpha we all know and
love on my way out from the commander's office and put two and two together. My
my, he sure is a feisty little alpha isn't he? Possessive too from what I can
see," the scientist answered with a wide grin, eyes glittering with delight.
"I'd like to run some tests on you and look you over if you don't mind coming
to the lab for a bit."
“Tests...? Would Levi... Be alright with that?" Eren questioned hesitantly, "I
don't think he would..." He wouldn't do anything Levi didn't approve of, at
least not at the moment, having no desire to make his alpha angry with him.
“Oh yes! I did ask him when I saw him. He just said I couldn't do anything you
were uncomfortable with and keep my hands to my damned self or he'd break them,
and my glasses, so I'd be maimed and blind. So mean for such a shorty," She
assured, all the while leading Eren out of the mess hall and away from the
stunned group of cadets still seated at the table.
===============================================================================
 
Levi scowled at the wood before him, fully dressed in his proper uniform,
though he'd forgone his usual cravat in order to leave the still healing mark
relatively undisturbed, having no desire to irritate it with fabric rubbing
against it all day. He inhaled deeply and knocked once before he hesitated,
thinking it might be best not to let himself into Erwin's office; the other
alpha was already pissed enough at him at the moment. Knowing that only pissed
Levi off as well and he tapped a booted foot impatiently, forcing down the urge
to knock again. Erwin was in there; he could smell him just as he knew the
commander could likely smell him as well and was purposely making him wait.
Prick...
Erwin waited for the next knock and sighed, standing up from his chair and
striding over to the door, deliberately slow and in no particular rush. When he
swung it open, he didn't invite Levi in like he normally did. He just stood
there, not saying a word, his icy gaze leveled on the shorter alpha.
The raven man's nostrils flared and his lips pursed, brows lowering in
irritation immediately when Erwin finally opened the door. He met the cool blue
gaze with narrowed mercury and did not break the contact when he spoke, arms
crossing his chest. "I'm still not sorry I did it."
"I see," Erwin replied, voice much calmer than expected. "Did you really come
all this way just to tell me that? Shouldn't you be with.. Him?"
Levi scowled further at the insinuation. "He's mine, but I don't fucking own
the brat. He wanted to go play with the other brats. Hanji's probably got him
by now, anyway. I actually came here to talk. Seeing as you haven't had Eren
and I arrested yet, I'm assuming you're willing to negotiate," he replied
levelly, shifting his weight, threads of anger and agitation in his scent, but
nothing like it had been the last time they'd spoken.
"I haven't turned you in because I'm not that man, Levi. I'm not willing to
negotiate anything. I won't be the one to report you, but I won't lie for you,
either. If I'm asked about it, I'll tell anyone the truth. Even the MP," the
broad blond stated, tone slightly threatening as he continued to eye the
shorter male.
The captain's jaw twitched and he sucked a breath in through his nose. "So what
then? I can't make him live down in the shitty dungeon, Erwin. He's my mate.
You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly well. Then again, I wouldn't go around mating with
shifters. So maybe I don't understand," Erwin said simply, making his way back
over to his desk so he could sit down. "You can't rely on me to cover up your
mistakes."
The raven let out a breathy, scoffing laugh, "That's what it is... I had
wondered why you were so disgusted, but I get it. Because Eren's a shifter.
You, like every other one of those self-righteous pricks, don't even think of
him as human..." It wasn't a question, but a statement and his own disgust was
clear in the tone. Certainly, Erwin thought Eren was a useful monster, but a
monster just the same. The raven shook his head, standing rigidly in front of
the tall alpha's desk, refusing to seat himself. "It's not a mistake. In fact,
Hanji thinks it may have benefits, but I'm sure she's already told you. I
suppose we'll find out as long as no one snitches to the MP shit stains."
"It's not because Eren is a shifter. I wouldn't have taken him into the Scouts
if I thought he was... Less than human, Levi," Erwin growled a bit defensively.
"I just know shifters are off limits, especially Eren. He wasn't yours to
claim."
Levi caught the growl as it tried to leave his throat, cutting off the
dangerous sound and swallowing it. "Why not? Just because they might birth more
shifters? I'd think you'd like the idea of raising more like Eren for the
cause," he spat the words as if they were acidic, foul-tasting in his mouth.
"If you don't think of him as inhuman, why are you so willing to dehumanize
him? And why is he specially off limits? I'd think its better I mated him than
someone else."
"He wasn't supposed to be mated at all!" Erwin snapped. "There are-- There were
plans for him, Levi. I don't want you to interfere. His duty is still to serve
humanity, just like yours and mine both."
"Who said we wouldn't continue to serve humanity while mated? It's all this
bullshit that makes me want to take him away from here. Why's it so terrible
for us to be together when we're going to die anyway? What difference does it
make if he's in my bed instead of chains if he's still going to lay down his
life for this shitty humanity in the end? I honestly doubt his instincts would
allow him to accidentally turn Titan while in bed with me in the future. He
never did before and I wasn't exactly concerned about being cautious, for
fuck's sake. We don't even know what kind of effect the bond will have on
shifters, but thus far, seems like he'll recognize me as his mate. It will
likely stabilize him. You think leaving him a hormonal, unmated omega that may
very well have accelerated heat cycles that apparently can't be suppressed is a
better idea, because the damn brat's not volatile enough already?" His hand cut
through the air in annoyance as he spoke, breathing heavier when he'd finished
speaking, narrowed eyes dark slate with his irritation. This was going
absolutely fucking nowhere.
Erwin ran a hand through his hair exasperatedly. "I understand your point,
Levi, but this isn't up to you or I! There are a lot of things-- Things you
don't know. Things you don't know about shifters, about Eren. You're only
hurting yourself by being with him, why don't you understand that?"
"Like what?" the dark haired alpha started and snorted disdainfully, "It'll
hurt me a lot worse if I'm forced to live apart from him now. Whether it's the
MP or the Titans, we're going to end up dead together, so I don't see how it
matters. It's better than living as if I am already dead which I was before. I
was fucking numb, Erwin. Even before I bonded him, probably from the time I
first met him, he brought something inside me back to life. This is fucking
bullshit. I shouldn't even have to justify it. I'm an alpha and he's an omega.
It was fucking consensual." His foot was tapping again and he was about ready
to say fuck it and go rescue his omega from Hanji's clutches so he could relax.
This entire debate was completely useless. Neither of them were going to budge
and it was wearing viciously on Levi's already frayed patience, making him more
nervous not having eyes on his brat.
"You don't understand!" Erwin snarled, banging a fist on his desk. "Just-just
stop it. I already agreed I wouldn't rat you out, what more do you want from
me?"
Levi's breath caught and he closed his eyes a moment. He wanted his friend's
support, not his commander's rebuke... "Nothing. Absolutely nothing..." He
turned on his heel to leave, pausing at the door. He turned his head, but
didn't quite look over his shoulder at Erwin, "For what it's worth, I am sorry
you lost trust in me because I chose Eren, but it was the choice I'd regret the
least regardless of what happens now." With those parting words and without
waiting for a proper dismissal, the short alpha was out the door and letting it
close behind him before he was off to find his wayward mate. His chest felt
tight and he just wanted to see Eren, to be sure he was safe.
===============================================================================
----*****----
Hanji hadn't said much about the fairly simple tests she conducted on Eren, and
over the next few weeks, the shifter had completely forgotten about them. He'd
been distancing himself from Armin and Mikasa to avoid the drama, and Levi and
the commander had become rather distant as well. As the other soldiers heard
about the captain and the Titan boy's relationship, they began to assume foul
play was in order and that Eren was getting special treatment. Which wasn't
true at all. On the field and during training, Levi was still Eren's captain,
just as harsh and unforgiving as always. Only when they had free time together
could they actually enjoy being equals. Though, it still bothered Eren that
others thought he wasn't doing the same amount as work as them, because hell,
he was working his ass off and mate or not, Levi wasn't cutting him any slack.
It was only one morning in particular where the omega slacked off in his
training. His movements were sluggish during his exercises and he was a bit
slower than the rest, inexplicably. It was barely sunrise, but even so, the
omega was never like this. He honestly didn't feel well at all. Maybe it was
the dinner he'd eaten the night before, but no one else seemed sick... The boy
was pale, sweat glistening on his forehead as he tried to keep up with his
fellow soldiers before he gave up, stumbling a bit before bending over with his
hands on his knees and promptly vomited into the grass rather violently. It
wasn't unusual for overworked soldiers to vomit from overexertion, but they
were barely twenty minutes into the warm up exercises Levi had led them through
nearly every morning since they'd joined the scouts.
Levi was at Eren's side almost immediately, catching the omega's scent which
was a mixture of bitter distress and sickly sweet, overlaid with the sourness
of his vomit. The alpha rubbed the youth's back and handed over a handkerchief
from a pocket in his uniform jacket. Eren looked... Ill. It was unusual and
worrisome, considering how many times he'd ever seen the boy sick, which had
all been products of Hanji's various experiments early on. Seeing him bent over
losing his breakfast after only twenty minutes on the field had the raven alpha
concerned.
"I think you should take a break, brat. You don't look so hot. There's
something weird in your scent, too. Go inside and rest a bit until Hanji's back
from the supply run," he ordered, voice quiet to avoid being overheard. His
touch was not particularly romantic or affectionate, but he could still feel
the draw of eyes on the two of them.
Eren held the handkerchief over his mouth as he coughed, taking in shaky
breaths through his nose. He tried to avoid everyone staring at them, but he
couldn't help it. He shook his head, straightening himself again and running a
hand through his hair, which was damp with sweat. "I'm fine," he quickly
protested, though he didn't feel fine in the slightest. He didn't want anyone
to think he was just slacking off.
The alpha's eyes narrowed at the boy's argument. "It's not up for discussion,
brat," he said in a commanding tone. "You look like shit. Go inside. that's an
order, Jaeger." And it wasn't just because Eren was his mate. If any other
soldier looked and smelled like Eren did then, he would have sent them to the
infirmary as well. He badly wanted to escort the boy in and make certain he was
alright, but he had promised himself he would at least attempt to remain as
professional as possible. Mostly so Erwin would not be breathing down his neck
and to keep things as low key as possible. They'd been lucky thus far and he
wanted to keep it that way for as long as they could. Erwin was, of course,
right about them treading on thin ice.
The shifter gave in without further protest, nodding slightly and closing his
eyes for a moment before he gave Levi's arm a slight squeeze as though telling
the man he would be alright, the handkerchief clutched tightly in his free hand
as he began trudging toward the building where hopefully Hanji would arrive
soon.
Levi's gaze softened when his omega agreed and he watched him shuffle off until
he disappeared into the building before his sharp eyes flicked back to the
soldiers who were supposed to be training, but had all decided it would be
appropriate to stop and gawk at the mated pair as if they were some spectacle
in a zoo. Levi snarled and stalked over to the group. "Who told you to take a
break?! Get a fucking move on!"
===============================================================================
Eren trudged inside on leaden feet, making his way to Hanji’s unlocked office.
It was still empty, and she probably wouldn’t be back until around noon or
later. He'd wait for her return because he couldn’t trust any normal doctors or
nurses. They just wouldn’t understand him. Hell, they’d probably be afraid of
him. He sat down on the examination table Hanji usually had Eren lie down on so
she could poke and prod at him, but he didn't have the capacity to care about
bad memories right now. He was too busy huffing and puffing, trying to catch
his breath. He was exhausted just from throwing up and he couldn’t figure out
what the hell was wrong with him. Was this some sort of Titan fever?
Erwin sighted the shifter as he slipped into Hanji's unoccupied office and his
nostrils flared the moment he caught wind of the boy's scent. Sickly sweet
undertones... It was familiar, and the alpha was immediately concerned and
subsequently angry. He'd fucking warned Levi... They couldn't afford any more
mistakes. The MP was already sniffing around, having caught wind of some rather
interesting rumours over the passed few weeks.
The blonde alpha had not spoken to Eren at all since he'd moved into Levi's
quarters, knowing full well the raven alpha would likely attack him if he did,
but this situation was something else entirely and needed to be addressed
immediately and without Levi's knowledge.
He stepped purposefully into the office a few minutes after the boy, looking
over his shoulder to be sure no one else was in the halls to overhear the
conversation he planned to have with the shifter. He closed the door with a
soft snick and turned to peer at the boy looking rather ill on the examination
table. How Levi had not realized what it was that had caused the omega's sudden
sickness was beyond him, but he supposed he should be grateful. The raven alpha
would surely become even more impossible should he find out. "Eren," he greeted
quietly, taking a step towards the exam table.
Eren tensed up the second he heard the door close, and now he was frozen solid,
stiff and wooden. Why was Erwin here? And why had he closed the door? He knew
Erwin was angry with Levi, but…Was Erwin really willing to kill Eren to get
revenge? What? What was he thinking- no. No, Erwin wasn’t going to kill him.
Who would be stupid enough to try and murder a shifter? Definitely not Erwin.
The alpha made Eren nervous though, even with the convincing argument his mind
was making.
“C-commander,” Eren stammered in a weak greeting, his anxiety obvious.
"It's been some time since we've spoken. You seem unwell," the tall alpha
observed, his dominant presence filling the room without conscious thought as
he watched the boy's reaction. Eren was nervous and he knew it.
“I’m just fine, sir,” Eren said quickly. “Just a little tired is all. Levi
should be coming here soon,” he spoke the two lies in a shaky voice that belied
his quickly rising fear. He wanted Erwin to believe that Levi would be here to
make sure no harm could come to him, though everyone knew at this time Levi was
always with the soldiers, training.
The commander's piercing blue gaze narrowed, all too aware the boy was lying.
"I think we both know that he is not. It would be difficult, even for a man as
talented as Levi, to be in two places at once, but you needn't be so nervous.
I'm not going to hurt you, Eren. I want to talk to you about something
important," he explained as he moved to seat himself in the chair Hanji
generally utilized. He steepled his long fingers and stared at the youth a
moment, preparing himself for the impending conversation. He didn't relish the
words he would be saying to the young shifter, but it was imperative that he
say them, knowing what the boy would no doubt do.
“What.. What is there to talk about, sir? I’m not leaving Levi, if that’s what
you’re going to ask me. I mean no disrespect by that, sir. It’s just the
truth,” Eren answered as bravely as he could manage beneath the commander's
scrutinizing gaze.
Erwin hummed, "I'm aware that the two of you have no intention of separating,
but that's not what this is about. Do you have any idea what might be the cause
of your illness this morning, Eren? You've not been sick like this previously."
“N-no...” Eren replied, brows furrowing in confusion. “Maybe I’ve just
overworked myself, or it’s something to do with my shifting… I haven’t gotten
sick since I discovered I was a shifter, except after a few of Hanji's
experiments.”
"I think that you are considering the wrong circumstance Eren. There is a
specific reason an omega might become ill after mating. I think if you consider
the circumstances outside your status as a shifter, you'll find you already
know," the alpha replied, tone quiet and serious, the voice he used when
employing his persuasive and manipulative strategies.
The young omega took a moment of silence to think about what Erwin could be
hinting at. “Sir..?” Eren asked with a worried tone to his voice when
realization began to creep up on him. “That can’t be..”
The tall alpha inclined his head. "You'd be right if the suppressants had
worked, but they did not, isn't that so? And you know that it is as I've
implied. You also know why it cannot be allowed to proceed, don't you?" His
voice was soft, coddling and patronizing.
Eren had begun shaking during the last few moments of their conversation, his
eyes glassy as he stared at the commander in shock. “D-does Levi...Does he
know?” the boy choked out, arms wrapping around himself. Did Levi know that
Eren was possibly... With child? “Why can’t-- why can’t I--“ he had so many
questions, but his voice was shaking too hard to allow any of them out.
The commander gave the young man a sympathetic look, though it was only half
sincere. "No, Levi is not aware yet and it would be best if it remained that
way. Your relationship with Levi has already tarnished his reputation. If you
choose to tell him, he will certainly want to take responsibility as your mate,
but that would not be ideal. If you should choose to proceed, Levi will be
ruined. He is nearly as valuable to this cause as you are, Eren, perhaps even
equally as important now that you have bonded. The brass in the capital are
still naively listening to rumours and whispers about the two of you, but not
acting. We've been lucky thus far that the MP has remained lax and believing
them untrue. Even so, Levi has lost a great deal of respect by mating you and
tying himself to you. If you were to keep the child, he will not be looked upon
kindly, and if the MP decides to take action, the both of you may very well be
executed. Levi will not be remembered as the hero he is, but as a traitor, an
alpha that would breed with Titans. Is there such a thing lower to the upper
class? You don't want that for your alpha, do you? You understand what I'm
telling you, don't you, Eren?" His voice made the words seem less hurtful than
they really were, non threatening, spoken out of concern, but the concern was
not so much over Levi's reputation, nor the hardships the couple would likely
face, but for the effect on the cause he had worked so hard for, sacrificed so
much for would be, how far back it would set them. He feared they may never
recover from an internal blow of such magnitude.
The omega shook his head back and forth in disbelief as he held back tears. He
didn’t want that for Levi at all. He'd already caused the man enough grief and
if this was true… If what Erwin said was true, who knows what would happen to
them? This wasn’t supposed to happen. The suppressants weren’t supposed to
allow such a thing. “S-sir, what do I do?” Eren whispered desperately. The way
Erwin’s words and tone had manipulated Eren forced the vulnerable omega to fall
into trusting the man at the moment despite every one of the omega's instincts
telling him not to trust a single word this man said. But Levi was more
important than himself at the moment; his alpha was more important to him than
anything.
Erwin leaned in to place an assuring hand on Eren's shoulder, "I think you know
the answer to that, too... I think that if you wished to... Be rid of your
problem, a great deal of trauma to the affected area would give the desired
results. But it's not my choice," he paused, pretending to glance at the clock
behind the boy. "I'm sorry to leave you in such a state, Eren, but I must be
going. I have an important appointment to see to. Please think about what I've
said." And once he'd finished speaking, he gave the omega's narrow shoulder a
supportive squeeze and stood, taking his leave as quickly as he'd appeared,
leaving the vulnerable boy alone with the echo of his words.
Eren stared at the shoulder Erwin had placed his hand on moments before, mouth
opening and closing like a fish out of water before his face fell into his
hands. Should he tell Levi? No.. No, Erwin was right. Levi would want to take
responsibility for it. So did Eren, but… He couldn’t... He knew they couldn’t
do this, not now. If he didn’t do it himself, someone else would force him to.
It was better this way… Better to save Levi the trouble and the hurt. This way,
his reputation would survive and he wouldn’t grieve over the loss of their…
Child. Eren didn’t even want to call it a child. After all, it was only
probably… The size of a chicken’s egg, maybe even smaller. He just kept telling
himself over and over again that it didn’t count. It wasn’t really a child yet,
so it didn’t count.
He mumbled it to himself as he began rummaging through Hanji’s drawers, tossing
things all over the floor and looking through things rather frantically. He
didn’t dare use one of her medical instruments, so instead, he reached a shaky
hand in one of the desk drawers where he found something suitable. A long,
sharp letter opener with a tip sharp enough to draw blood at only the slightest
touch. That was how most letter openers were, made so purposely so that the
captains and majors could easily slice open their envelopes to get through
their paperwork without a fuss. And it was small enough for the omega to stick
it in the side of his boot to hide it. He couldn’t do what he had to in Hanji's
office. Hanji or Levi could come in anytime. He knew where to go instead.
He headed down to the dungeons, breathing shaky and eyes filled with tears as
he entered his old cell, shoving himself in the corner as quaking hands dug the
letter opener out from his boot. He was trembling so hard, he didn’t think he
could do it. This… Wasn’t suitable for an abortion, not the way abortions were
usually performed and he was afraid. Eren thought back to Erwin’s words about
trauma being applied to the area, and that was what inspired his next decision
as he forced himself to turn the letter opener toward his middle, dropping it
once or twice as he did so and finally letting out a devastated sob. God, it
would hurt. It would take all of his strength to get through this emotionally
and physically. But as Eren sat there, trying to force himself to plunge the
letter opener into his flesh, he kept hesitating. He didn’t know if he could
really follow through with what had to be done.
He had to. He had to do it. He could do it if he needed to turn into a Titan,
so why couldn’t he hurt himself now? No, he could do it. He would... For Levi.
He brought the letter opener toward himself with one swift motion, crying out
as it pierced into his skin. It didn’t go in nearly deep enough. He pulled it
out with an agonized scream that he tried to bite back, driving it in over and
over again until blood was spewing out from every stab wound that littered his
abdomen and he could feel the blade penetrating deep inside his gut, but he
couldn’t stop. He couldn’t stop until he knew for sure. For Levi...
TBC...
 
***** Mourning Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Chapter Notes
     *Trigger Warning:* Self-harm, blood, and violence. Attempted
     abortion... Major angst...
Levi left the field after training had ended and immediately went to Hanji's
office, expecting both the scientist and his omega to be within the small room.
The worry twisting in his gut had only grown over the hours and he was silenced
when he entered the office to find only the woman, scribbling vigorously on an
already overcrowded sheet of parchment. She looked up when he came in and
cracked a knowing smile.
"I wondered when I'd be seeing you. If you're here, that must mean Eren's
started showing symptoms, the poor thing," she commented, still grinning and
Levi furrowed his brow.
"What the fuck are you on about, shitty-glasses? Where's Eren?" His tone was
surly; he was not in any mood to deal with her nonsense right then. He looked
around the room, searching for signs of his omega as if he'd somehow missed him
when he'd come in. Eren had been in the office; he could smell traces of him.
"Eren? I haven't seen the poor dear today," she paused and stared at him hard,
"Oh my, you really don't know, do you? I didn't want to spoil it for you, but
you must be too dense to have realized..."
"Realized what, you lunatic? I don't have time for your shit, Hanji. Did you
send him to rest in our quarters?"
"You're going to be a daddy soon, that's what, you dolt!" She threw her hands
in the air in exasperation of his ignorance, "And I told you, I haven't seen
him. I smelled him when I came in, but it was already pretty faded. Actually,
it smelled a little like Erwin, too. Oh no, you don't think... Erwin probably
would pick up on it. If Eren didn't know himself, you don't suppose Erwin
would--"
"I'll kill him if he's touched Eren," his voice came out in a feral growl that
left no room for doubt in his words and he ran a suddenly trembling hand
through his hair, hardly able to fathom the news she'd given him.
He had Hanji go to his quarters while he went in search of the commander, who
he was informed had conveniently left for the capital just an hour passed. When
they met back up, Eren was not with Hanji and the raven felt his stomach drop.
He became desperate in his search. Hanji had a hard time keeping up with the
almost inhuman speed of his movements.
He heard the sobbing cries and smelt blood and an overwhelming scent of anguish
before he'd even reached the staircase down to the dungeons, and he cleared the
steps without his feet touching a single one, looking frantic and wild.
"Eren?!" He saw him, what he was attempting. There was so much blood... There
was a glint in the dim light and the alpha disarmed his fragile mate in
seconds, throwing the weapon across the room and pulling the omega against him
desperately. "What were you thinking? What the fuck were you thinking, brat?!
What were you trying to do, huh?" His voice was wrecked and there were
unnoticed tears winding silvery paths down the alpha's flushed cheeks as he
held Eren too tightly, shaking the boy as his own body quaked.
Hanji stumbled down the steps moments later and her eyes went wide and glossy
immediately, hand raising to her mouth, "Oh, Eren..."
Levi looked over his shoulder at the distraught scientist, his expression one
of grief the likes of which she had never seen on him before. "He'll heal...
Tell me... I..."
Hanji was shaking her head, uncertain. She had nothing to say in the face of
Humanity's Strongest's tears.
He let out a very low melancholy trill of anguish and turned liquid mercury
back to his mate, breath hitching at the first tiny wisp of steam that rose
from ragged flesh.
Eren was crying, crying so hard he couldn’t breathe right and he couldn’t see
straight. He hadn’t even heard or smelled Levi until the man was holding him
tight against his chest, the blade Eren’s bloody hands had been holding thrown
across the room. God, it hurt so bad. He sobbed harder when the alpha squeezed
him, mostly from pain, but also because he had failed in keeping it from him.
The omega couldn’t even focus on the overwhelming shame he would soon be
feeling. He couldn’t remember how long he’d been down in the dungeon or how
many times he’d forced the letter opener to pierce his now pale and clammy
flesh as he cried in near agony, unable to even answer Levi, even when the
first signs of healing began to show. It could, and probably would, take hours
for the damage he'd caused himself to heal. Levi’s fears weren’t without merit;
sometimes, Eren’s healing didn't work at all for days. And sometimes he’d be
healed within minutes. It depended on the injury, the omega’s energy, the
stress around him. His abilities were unpredictable at best and what he'd done
could’ve been even more catastrophic than it already was, had they not begun
working to heal him.
If he wasn’t focused on the pain and the shock of what he’d done to himself,
he’d still be sobbing hysterically over the fact that he was sure he'd just
killed his own unborn baby.
Hanji still didn’t know what to do, standing a few feet away as the distressed
scents of the three all mingled throughout the cool air of the dungeon.
Levi swiped at his tears, trying to clear his vision so he could be sure he
wasn't imagining the steam. He was making soft crooning sounds, trying to
comfort Eren and his bloodied hands were leaving traces of the crimson fluid on
the omega's face and hair. He curled himself around his mate, enveloping the
hurting boy with his body and scent, his forehead falling forward to rest
against Eren's, onyx eyelashes tangling with the dark cinnamon of the younger
male's. He was whispering, the words so light and breathy against Eren's mouth
that he wasn't even sure if the boy could hear them. "Why? Eren, why? You...
You can't do this to me, brat. I... Can't... I can't... Not like this...
Please... Please..."
Eren closed his eyes, taking gasping breaths in between sobs. “N-didn’t mean
it,” he choked out. “I did-n’t mean it-“ He repeated in broken sobs, realizing
what Levi probably thought he had been trying to do. His hands were covering up
his stomach even though the steady flow of blood gushed out from beneath his
palm and between his fingers. He felt like he was dying, he really did. And for
a second, he thought maybe that would be easier. Maybe it would be easier to
die. No, he knew it would be easier to die. But if he wanted that, he would’ve
just cut his nape or let himself be executed. He didn’t want to die; he didn’t
like feeling this pain and feeling like he was dying. He didn’t like that he’d
made Levi, Humanity’s Strongest, cry. He didn’t like that he’d caused his mate
such pain to make him cry when all he'd wanted to do was protect him.
Hanji had walked over to the letter opener, picking up the bloody instrument
with shaky hands. “This… Is from my office,” she said, barely audible. She
thought back to both Erwin and Eren’s scents in that room. It couldn’t be...
"Shh... It's okay... It's alright... Everything will be alright. Just stay
awake, baby, don't close your eyes... I need to see you... Eren, I love you..."
Levi didn't know what else to do, what else to say. He had to believe his own
words because if he didn't, his mind would break. Eren was healing... And the
baby... Their baby... He couldn't even think about it. He'd ached wanting it...
The dreams of dark haired children with the greenest eyes had haunted him ever
since Eren had been given the suppressants and when they'd failed, even after
Erwin's words, he hadn't dared to believe it lest he be disappointed and left
to grieve over the impossibility all over again. To know that that dream, that
deep seeded yearning had come true only for it to be destroyed like this... He
couldn't think about it. It was too painful to think of what he'd gained and
lost in such a brief period of time. If he'd only known earlier. If he'd only
realized...
Eren opened up his eyes upon Levi’s request despite the fact he felt like he
could sleep at any moment. His hand that had been covering his stomach shakily
quickly moved to tangle into Levi’s shirt as the omega continued to choke out
sobs. The blood on Eren’s face that had been tracked there by Levi’s fingers
was already starting to steam away slowly, but surely, despite the weakness of
the omega in his current state. “I’m sorry,” Eren sobbed desperately, shaking
hand clinging to Levi’s shirt as his pupils twitched and flicked as though
fighting against being dragged back behind his eyelids. “I d-dn’t... Didn’t
wan- to,” Eren wheezed. “I didn-t wanta do- it.” He would be surprised if the
man understood him at all; he could barely talk, his mouth dry and feeling full
of cotton, voice hoarse and breathless with tears.
Levi was kissing his face, lips gentle, fluttering and fleeting and he
whispered back to him, "I know you didn't... I know, baby. Don't be sorry...
You're always forgiven. Always..." Why were the wounds taking so fucking long
to heal!? Sure, the omega had lost a lot of blood, but he'd healed from worse
wounds... Levi willed them to close faster.
None of them could know that Eren was healing quickly, just internally. The
damage to his womb took precedence over the external and it was there his body
instinctively focused its efforts.
Levi just held him and kept whispering in that broken voice, touching him and
kissing him and pleading for him to stay with him.
Eren couldn’t help it when he closed his eyes, brows furrowing as slight
whimpers escaped his lips at the burning feeling deep in his stomach as his
wounds worked on closing. Levi’s words provided a comfort Eren never thought
he’d hear again. He thought Levi would hate him.
“Levi..” Hanji finally spoke up, voice cutting through their whispers and sobs.
“You should let me have a look at him.” She didn’t want to force Levi to let
her close, but she wanted to make sure the worst of it was over.
Levi growled and held Eren tighter against him. The reaction was instinctive
and he couldn't help it when he bared his teeth at the scientist.
He knew he needed to let her look Eren over. She could help, but it was so hard
to force himself away from the hurting boy. He took in great deep steadying
breaths and finally shuffled a bit, still holding the brunette, but allowing
for the woman to examine the omega.
Hanji approached quickly, but cautiously. She knelt down beside the two,
lifting up Eren’s bloody shirt and sighing in relief when she saw the wounds
had nearly stopped bleeding and were smaller than the width of the letter
opener, meaning they were starting to close. “The worst is over, he’s not in
danger,” Hanji breathed. “The wounds should be closed within an hour or two.”
Her voice was filled with relief, but still fear and sorrow. They’d still have
to deal with why Eren did this and what Erwin had to do with it.
Eren’s shaky hands fumbled, weakly attempting to try and pull his shirt back
down to cover his stomach, but he couldn’t even manage that, so he just curled
deeper into Levi, face buried in the man’s chest.
The alpha just nodded, unable to ask about the baby; there was no way, surely
not with so much damage. He didn't want to hear the words she'd say, so he
didn't ask, just held Eren against him and stroked fingers through the back of
tangled hair when the omega buried his face back against the alpha's chest.
"Can I take him back to our quarters?" His voice was hoarse and shaky.
The scientist nodded. “Yeah, I think that would be best,” she whispered. “Is
there anything I can do? Do you want me to come with you?” She asked, her
concern palpable in her voice.
"No," the word left pale lips immediately. He carefully tucked the boy's limbs
in and maneuvered their positions until he could lift Eren, standing on numb
legs.
"Just... Find out when Erwin gets back. I need to speak to him... And will you
take over training for me for the next couple days? I don't think I can leave
him right now."
Eren was completely limp when the alpha lifted him, one arm dangling awkwardly,
as were his legs. He couldn’t use any of the muscles in his core, he’d
definitely damaged them and it hurt too bad to try and use them to tighten up
his body. His cries were much quieter than they’d been before, muffled by his
face in Levi’s shoulder.
“Of course…” Hanji agreed, reaching to move Eren's arm into a more comfortable
position, tucked against his chest. “Just send someone for me if you need me to
do anything else,” she offered seriously, watching the pair with glassy eyes
behind her lenses.
The alpha nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Hanji," it was the most sincere
verbalization of gratitude Levi had likely ever given the woman, meeting her
gaze for several silent moments afterwards. Then he was on the move, striding
swiftly, trying his best not to jostle the boy in his arms too much. Soothing
coos sounded from his chest, trying to calm his mate's whimpers. He emitted a
dangerous warning scent that sent anyone that crossed paths with him fleeing
immediately.
Once they reached their quarters, he gently laid Eren down on the made bed and
carefully removed the boy's ruined shirt and pants, dropping them to the floor
without much thought, anguished silver settling on the nearly healed wounds
until his vision blurred with the threat of new tears. He tore his gaze away
finally and carefully dressed his mate in one of his own over-sized shirts and
retrieved one of the spare blankets from a cabinet, unwilling to move Eren
anymore in order to pull the sheets from beneath his prone form. He pulled off
his own filthy clothing with quick efficiency and crawled onto the bed with his
omega. He draped the blanket over the both of them and sidled his body as close
as possible to Eren, wrapping his arms around the young man, palm unconsciously
falling onto the tender expanse of his cloth covered belly. He was humming
softly, watching Eren's face inches from his own, reveling in each shivering
breath the boy took.
Eren closed his eyes and winced, trying to focus on his alpha's soft, calming
hums. He was still shaking from shock and he couldn't help but cling to his
mate rather helplessly. He couldn't bring himself to speak, afraid if he opened
his mouth, it would just turn to sobs again. He was so afraid of what Levi
would say, of what the man thought of him even though Levi had already assured
him that he was forgiven. Eren managed to calm his shaking a bit and steady his
hitched breathing enough that he wasn't struggling to breathe anymore.
Levi rubbed his nose against Eren's cheek, curling himself around his mate,
shaking with the remnants of adrenaline ebbing from his system. He'd never been
so afraid in his life. Eren could have died. If they had found him any later.
The omega had nearly disemboweled himself as it was. It made him ache inside.
He wanted to know what had provoked the boy to such extremes and he didn't want
to believe it, but he knew deep down that Erwin was responsible.
"If you ever make me feel like this again, I swear I'll chain you to this bed,
brat," he threatened softly and meant it. He'd felt like his heart had been
pried from his chest and crushed, like he was dying, but still breathing. It
had been the most painful experience of his life, and Levi was no stranger to
pain.
He placed more of those fluttering kisses over Eren's face and inhaled the
omega's scent deeply. It was pained and bittersweet, but alive. And it was the
sweetest scent Levi had ever smelled.
The boy clutched at Levi desperately, shaking his head. "I'm sorry," he
croaked. He could smell the alpha's worry mixed with relief and he hated that
he'd caused Levi to feel like that. "I'm sorry, Levi."
"Shh... No more apologies... Just rest. I'll be here. I'm not leaving you," the
raven murmured, reveling in the feel of the clutching grip, still weak, but
strengthening as the omega healed.
Eren sniffled, eyes red and still teary despite his exhaustion. "I wasn't... If
you thought I was trying to kill myself, I wasn't," he promised hoarsely,
needing for Levi to understand that he hadn't wanted to die.
Levi closed his eyes and exhaled a shaky breath. "I know what you were trying
to do," he replied, voice hardly more than a whisper. And he did... He knew how
Eren's mind worked. Erwin had obviously said something to convince the omega to
do as he had. And knowing that Eren was... Had been pregnant... He knew what it
was the boy had been attempting to do; nearly killing himself had been
accidental.
"You... You do?" Eren whispered, voice cracking. "How... How did you..?" He was
shaking again. Frightened by the realization that Levi knew what he had been
attempting.
The older male ran the tip of his tongue over dry lips that tasted of salt and
nodded his affirmation.
"Hanji told me you were... I should have noticed. I should have known. Maybe I
did, but I was afraid to believe it... I... Ever since you took the
suppressants... I didn't want to hope only to be disappointed in the end... I'm
sorry, Eren... So sorry..."
Eren held back a sob as he let his hands come up to cover his face. He shook
his head, vicious guilt and bitter shame washing over him. "No, no, I'm sorry,
I'm sorry Levi, I'm sorry," the omega choked on the words as he spoke, hands
moving up to grip at his own hair in distress. "I didn't want... I didn't want
to hurt you like this, Hanji should've never told you!"
The alpha gave the omega a gentle squeeze, rubbing his palm over Eren's belly
tenderly, the touch barely ghosting along the still healing flesh beneath the
shirt. He understood why Eren hadn't wanted him to know, knew that Eren had
been attempting to protect him and he didn't reprimand him, didn't get angry
and yell. He didn't even respond to what Eren had said. When he spoke, it was
gentle and calm.
"I dream about them sometimes, about our children..." He let a sigh fall from
his lips, sad and wistful.
"Did you think I wouldn't want our child?"
Eren shook his head. "No... No, I knew you would want to take responsibility
for it, that's why I didn't want you to know," he replied brokenly, face
scrunched up in emotional turmoil when he heard Levi's words. Levi wanted
children. He wanted this baby.
Levi pressed a soft kiss to Eren's temple, murmuring his response against the
sweat damp skin, "It's more than taking responsibility, Eren... It always has
been... I hated the idea of sterilizing you from the start because it seemed
wrong for someone who loves as desperately as you to never have children... But
i know now that I hated it more because it meant I could never have them with
you... Did you do this because you don't want a baby, Eren?" He needed to grasp
the motivation behind the omega's extreme actions. He knew Erwin was involved
and he needed to know what the alpha had said to his mate to convince the
vulnerable shifter to make him believe it was the best course of action. It was
so violent. Eren could have gone to Hanji, kept it from him as he'd intended.
The woman would have been reluctant, but she would have respected Eren's
wishes, would have helped him in a far less dangerous manner. The boy hadn't
been able to wait for her return and that meant that whatever Erwin had said
had made Eren so desperate, he'd taken the situation into his own hands.
"I-It wasn't that," Eren whispered, pausing to swallow hard. "I didn't want to
kill the baby, I didn't want to..." His voice was shaky as he spoke. "I didn't
want to do it, Levi; I had to."
Levi was inwardly elated with the knowledge that Eren was not opposed to
bearing his children, but even with that elation, there was a frigid coldness
that welled in his gut. If Eren wanted the baby, but had still chosen to end
the pregnancy, it meant that the commander's words had been potent enough to
make the omega force himself. The curling searing iciness that had gathered in
the pit of his stomach had the biting taste of betrayal.
Erwin was what Levi considered a friend, had been a confidant and trusted
comrade for many years and it was devastating to realize that though Erwin had
not turned them in, he had betrayed Levi in a way that was far more
unforgivable.
"Shh... It's okay... Tell me..." Levi soothed, still touching the boy softly,
caressing skin and hair. He needed to know, but he didn't want Eren to strain
himself any further. He'd been through more than enough. "Whatever the
reasons..."
The teen took a trembling breath, shaking his head. "I can't, I can't tell
you," he rasped, barely audible even in the quiet that had settled in their
quarters. "You'll hate me if I do."
"I could never hate you, Eren..." He assured in a hoarse whisper. "No matter
what you tell me, I told you, you'll always be forgiven."
Eren took a moment to decide whether or not to tell Levi the truth, but he
finally decided he would. The man was his mate; he deserved to know. "I went to
Hanji's office, like you said, but she wasn't there," he began shakily, "N' I
sat down and... C-Commander Erwin showed up, he told me why I've been feeling
sick. I don't even know how he knew," the omega choked out in confusion. "He
told-told me this would destroy your reputation and ruin your life. He told me
you'd accept the baby even though you didn't want it because you felt like you
had to be responsible for it," he broke off into a harsh sob. "He told me to
take care of it quietly by myself. I didn't know what to do and I-I don't know,
the next thing I remember is you finding me in the dungeon and I was bleeding
and... I couldn't stop. I don't know what was going on." Eren was sobbing
nearly uncontrollably again as he admitted what had happened, eyes screwing
shut tightly in pain.
The alpha felt the chill inside him flare, cold rage twisting within the sense
of betrayal he already harboured. Erwin had used Levi to convince Eren,
exploited the most obvious weakness the boy had and played Eren like a pawn in
a game. Levi bit his cheek until blood pooled in his mouth and swallowed the
bitterness, unable to act on the vicious instinct to seek out and tear the
other alpha apart. How dare Erwin prey on his omega like that? How dare he
destroy what little confidence Eren had gained in their bond?
He swallowed hard against the roiling pit of emotion and instead pulled Eren
into him as tightly as he could, rubbing soothing palms over the sobbing boy's
back.
"Shh, it's alright now... I'll take care of you... I'll take care of
everything..." He promised, dropping kisses in Eren's soft hair.
Eren buried his face in Levi's chest, wetting the man's pale skin with his
tears. "It's not alright," he sobbed harshly, "I killed it... I killed our
baby. Levi, I... What did I do?”
Levi's responding croon was low and melancholy, husky with grief. He didn't
know any words that would console his mate. There was no training given for a
situation like theirs.
He kept stroking Eren's skin and hair, crooning while he let the boy's tears
soak into his skin, wishing that as they did, so too would the omega's anguish.
Levi would gladly shoulder Eren's pain and his own if it could be done.
"I know it feels hopeless now, but it won't be forever. I... I'm going to make
this world safe, Eren. With you, we'll make things right. We'll see that ocean
and we'll try again... I promise..." He meant every choked word. No, it didn't
make up for the loss, for the pain of the present, but Levi was no stranger to
the intricacies of grief and he knew over time it would fade, would not be
forgotten, but there was hope in the future they could build together.
"We can't... We can't try again," the omega gasped between shuddering sobs. "We
can't try again; it'll ruin your life and the MP will take me away," the omega
choked out hopelessly, shaking uncontrollably in the alpha's arms.
Levi's chest expanded as he drew in a heavy breath, decompressing beneath
Eren's head as he let it out slowly. "Eren, you are my life... I might as well
have been a ghost before you..." He admitted quietly. He'd never cared much for
his reputation, the words of ignorant simpering pissants had never meant
anything to him, eager to gain favour with the hero they'd titled him, but
would have spit on before he'd left the gutters of the underground. They meant
nothing. Eren meant everything...
"I'll never allow them to keep you from me. I'll tear down the walls myself,
let them all be devoured and watch the world burn around us before I'd ever let
that happen Eren. If they ever manage to take you, I will come for you and
they'll know what real monsters look like..."
The boy pressed himself as close to Levi as physically possible, brows
twitching as he desperately fought to hold back more tears at the reassurance
the alpha gave him. "I wish I hadn't done it, Levi, I wish I hadn't!" Eren
cried pitifully.
"I know... You were scared... You never need to be scared like that again.
Remember what I've said. When you're afraid like that, when it's crushing you,
remember what I've told you. People are liars, Eren, with their own ends to
meet; they'll confuse you and make you doubt everything about yourself. But
when you feel lost, remember that the self that you believe, the things that
keep you human, that make you beautiful, Eren, every piece of you that makes
you who you are, is the you that I love. Never doubt me, even if you doubt
yourself; I will never betray you."
Eren didn't know how to react to such a proclamation from his alpha. He didn't
know how to express to Levi how much his words meant to him, and he had so much
to say, but no words to speak. He wanted to tell Levi he was sorry and that he
loved him too; he wanted to tell Levi that he wished things were different. But
he couldn't bring himself to say any of it, only a broken, pathetic noise
escaping his paled lips. He clutched at the man painfully, never wanting to let
go because he loved him too. More than anything
Levi didn't need to hear the words Eren couldn't say; he already knew beyond a
shadow of a doubt that the omega loved him. He held Eren close and hummed and
crooned until the boy's shaking subsided and exhaustion threatened to take them
both, only closing his own eyes once he was sure his mate was comfortable and
sleeping soundly. Levi fell asleep with a warm and protective palm spread over
the smooth, healed skin of Eren's belly, unconsciously hoping...
Eren had eventually cried himself to sleep, calm and serene once he'd given
into his exhaustion, safe in his alpha's arms as his body continued to steam
away the remains of the faded stab wounds beneath the gentle press of Levi's
hand.
===============================================================================
Morning came as a surprise to the raven alpha, considering it had been just
barely into the afternoon when the events of the day before had taken place,
but in retrospect, it wasn't so shocking that once the pair had fallen asleep,
they'd remained that way until the following morning, considering the physical
and emotional trauma they'd went through the day before.
Levi stirred first, woken by a scent that it took him several moments to
identify, staring at the sleeping face of his mate as his mind processed what
the anomaly in the boy's scent was, the coil of emotion from the previous day
pressed, but lingering in the back of his head.
His silver eyes, still soft with the remnants of sleep went wide with disbelief
when the recognition dawned on him, that overly sweet scent that settled thick
and heavy on his palate, but it couldn't be... After the violence, how could it
be possible... It would be a miracle. If Levi were a religious man, he'd have
believed it was a sign from the divine. But he was not pious and he shut down
the flame of desperate hope that flared up in his chest, unwilling to believe
until he could be certain he wasn't imagining it. He'd take the boy to see
Hanji as soon as he woke up and they'd both bathed just to be sure the scent
wasn't simply leftover from before.
Even so, he couldn't help but lift the boy's borrowed shirt and stroke cool
fingers over the finally fully healed flesh that was warm and still flat, but
softer than he remembered. He looked down with affection that could not be
quelled and there was a beautiful little smile playing over his pale lips that
he didn't even realize was there.
The alpha’s cool fingers on the sleeping omega’s belly caused him to stir,
brows furrowing as he stretched and yawned, green eyes fluttering open to meet
the mercury blue mix of his alpha’s. “Mh..Levi?” he mumbled sleepily in
confusion.
Levi's gaze flickered up from watching the path of his own fingers over the
boy's abdomen to meet the muddled mossy green orbs of his mate.
"I'm here," he hushed in response to the groggy boy. "How are you feeling?"
“Queasy, like yesterday..” the omega admitted. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe he was
queasy from the fact he’d stabbed himself at least ten times, but from the
looks of his abdomen, he was all healed. Nothing hurt, he only felt… Nauseous.
Like he had the morning previous. “What are you doing?” he questioned.
"Hm?" Levi blinked at the boy's question and his fingers stilled abruptly as if
he'd only just realized he was touching him and where. "I was just thinking..."
He excused, unwilling to elaborate on what it was he had been thinking about,
what he was still thinking and how if Eren was feeling like he had yesterday,
it was another sign that maybe...
He flattened his palm over the supple flesh and looked at Eren, "After we've
bathed, we're going to see Hanji."
“I don’t…I don’t want to see anyone,” Eren admitted. “Especially Hanji. I…” He
was so ashamed that Hanji had seen him in such a state.
"Don't argue with me, brat... I have to... Even if you seem healed, I need to
be sure... She probably wants to see you too. You had us both worried
yesterday. Besides, if we don't go to her, She'll likely show up here," he
replied. He wasn't letting the boy get out of visiting the scientist. He needed
confirmation and if what he suspected turned out to be true, what better
absolution of guilt for his mate could there be?
The omega couldn’t protest further. He didn’t want Levi to worry about him and
he surely wasn’t in the mood for Hanji to be in his private space at the
moment. He sat up, rubbing his eyes before swinging his legs over the edge of
the bed so he could stand up. He didn’t feel any pain, which was a good sign
Levi's hand slid from Eren's stomach as the omega got up and the alpha flopped
back into the sheets, stretching like a large feline, working the soreness from
muscle and joints that had been trapped in a cramped position too long, after
all, he'd spent the night wrapped so tightly around his omega, there'd barely
been space for breath between them.
He heaved a heavy sigh and sat up, following the youth out of the bed and
moving to the bathroom to run that bath he'd mentioned. Now that they were both
awake, there was no point in procrastinating. The sooner he knew, the better.
Eren sat down on the edge of the tub, turning on the water and removing the
large shirt Levi had put on him the night before, the omega leaning down with
his head hanging between his knees in silence.
The alpha moved to the boy's side and palmed at the nape of his neck. "Are you
alright?" He questioned softly, fingers massaging out the tenseness beneath
Eren's skin while the water filled the bath.
“No,” Eren admitted quietly. “I just don’t feel well.” He didn’t feel like
himself at all; his instincts were all over the place and he felt like if he
did much more than just sit there, he may puke. Maybe it was his guilt, eating
away at him from the inside out.
The alpha continued to massage at the boy's neck and shoulders. "Maybe you'll
feel better after our bath. We both could use one after yesterday. Let me help
you."
“No, I’m fine,” Eren argued immediately, “I’ll be fine.” He straightened
himself up, turning off the water once the tub was full and slowly lowering
himself in, sighing at the warmth. Maybe this would help him feel better.
Though the truth was, he’d feel better when it passed just a few hours later.
Though, Eren didn’t know that.
Levi let out another sigh, but didn't argue further. The omega seemed like he
wanted space. Even so, he dropped his undergarments to the floor and slipped
into the bath at the opposite end of the tub from his mate. He didn't want to
waste any time. He immediately reached for soap and shampoo, quick to clean
himself before offering to assist Eren, fully expecting another refusal.
Eren did refuse to let Levi help him, but he allowed for his legs to tangle
with the alpha’s in the tub, enjoying the subtle intimacy as he scrubbed
himself down. He was beginning to feel a bit less queasy now, thank god. Maybe
the bath really was helping.
TBC...
***** The Precious Heart Inside *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Once they'd finished bathing, Levi dried and dressed in a more casual ensemble,
having no intention of spending any of the day away from his omega and he
certainly wasn't letting Eren go train either.
When they made it to Hanji's office, Levi lead the way inside to where the
woman, unsurprisingly, was expecting them. As soon as he saw her nostrils flare
and her eyes widen, he knew...
Hanji immediately looked at Levi, her hands coming up to cup the sides of her
face. “Oh my.”
Eren looked between the two in confusion, thick brows furrowing in concern.
"He's really...?" Levi started, unable to finish the sentence. Hanji just
nodded silently, a smile tugging at her lips. "Thank God, I thought I might
have been imagining it..."
The scientist's smile finally broke through, splitting her face, eyes going
glassy. "Amazing..." She breathed. In an instant, the alpha was hugging the
confused omega tightly, burying his face in Eren's neck.
Eren was now extremely confused, but of course he hugged the alpha back.
“Levi?” he murmured. “What’s going on, is everything okay?”
“Everything is perfect..." The alpha breathed against the omega's throat,
pulling back seconds later to meet Eren's eyes, pale hands framing his face and
guiding their foreheads to touch. "You're amazing..." He paused, thumbs
brushing against the boy's cheeks, "You're still... We're going to have the
baby, Eren..."
“Wh-what?” Eren’s eyes nearly doubled in size and he stumbled a bit, nearly
falling backwards and he would have, had it not been for the alpha holding onto
him tightly. “That can’t be-- That can’t-- I--“ the omega stammered in shock
and disbelief.
"Oh, but it is!" Hanji's voice cut in and she was rocking in her seat, "It's
because you're a shifter. There's no other explanation! It makes sense now why
the external wounds took so long to close. Your body must have been focused on
repairing the internal damage, to save the fetus first. It's just wonderful.
There's just so much you're capable of, Eren..." She confirmed while Levi
practically had the boy off his feet, such relief and utter elation making the
alpha almost giddy, easily overshadowing the vengeful rage he still felt
directed at the Commander. It didn't matter then. Erwin was still away, even if
he did want to confront the other alpha.
The young omega’s arms hesitated before they wrapped around Levi in return,
still reeling in utter shock. He couldn’t believe this. He’d nearly stabbed
himself to death and the baby inside of him, the tiny little thing, had managed
to survive. Eren’s body was protecting it more than it was protecting Eren
himself. It…It shouldn’t even be possible, but it was true. It would explain
the way Eren was feeling right now, and of course Levi and Hanji knew the
scent. Eren trusted them. Eren’s face landed in Levi’s neck as he let out a sob
of relief, letting the alpha nearly lift him off his feet from how tightly they
were hugging. “I can’t believe it,” he sobbed, but it wasn’t the same agonized
sobs from the previous night. They were mixed with choked laughs and sniffles.
Levi was smiling, running his hands through the boy's hair, over his back and
neck as Eren sobbed, releasing all the pent up emotion.
He kissed at the boy's hair desperately, rubbing his scent on the omega. "I
love you... Love you so much...." Sentimental words whispered into soft
chocolate strands as the alpha kept petting at the omega, unable to remain his
usual stoic self. It would be complicated, but in that moment, he didn't care
about anything outside of the small office.
“I love you,” Eren finally managed to whisper back after nearly two days of the
omega being unable to voice the sentiment in return to his alpha's heartfelt
confessions. “I love you too, I--“ the omega shook his head, breath hitching
into another sob. He was terrified, but ecstatic at the same time.
"Well, I suppose we're relatively safe to let things run their course for now.
We'll just keep things quiet as long as possible. I doubt most of the soldiers
will even know what the scent is, so until it becomes obvious, it should stay
as it's been. So long as the MP stay lazy... The commander won't be happy, but
there's nothing he can do--" Hanji was speaking again, her fingers rubbing at
her chin thoughtfully.
She was cut off by a menacing growl from the alpha at the mention of Erwin and
he turned his head to glare over his shoulder, "He'll stay the fuck away from
my omega or he'll learn what's more frightening than Titans," he said
viciously, and Hanji nodded with wide eyes. He would not give Erwin another
chance to hurt Eren if he could manage it.
“I’m sure… He won’t try anything else,” Hanji placated, hands out in surrender,
“Though there are other concerns. Medically, I mean,” she continued after a
moment, “I’ve never handled an omega expecting so young. Though, Eren’s
shifting abilities have proved helpful with keeping him healthy thus far... Oh,
speaking of abilities... Eren probably shouldn’t be shifting, I don’t think
that’d be good for him right now since we don't know what kind of effect it
might have on the baby.”
The alpha held onto the omega as they spoke with Hanji about dietary needs and
light training that might be suitable as long as the youth took it easy. After
all, if they put him on bed rest, it would be far too suspicious. They
scheduled check ups and eventually came up with a relative due date. Hanji
suggested Eren take at least three to four days off to be sure he wouldn't
strain himself after how hard his body had worked the day before and Levi
refused any protests from the omega. They talked over whom needed to be
informed and who did not. Once they had most details worked out, Levi wanted to
get his mate food and return to their quarters as quickly as possible, assuming
the boy would have more to say when they were in private.
Eren didn’t argue against any of the things Hanji suggested, despite being
against some of them. He knew what he wanted wasn't necessarily best for their
baby, so he had to make some sacrifices. He didn’t want to take it easy; he
wanted to train hard like he always did, but he knew that was out of the
question and he accepted it. He held onto Levi as the older male spoke with
Hanji, the omega absent mindedly rubbing his neck along Levi’s and letting out
soft noises and purrs of comfort and happiness, eyes closed peacefully until it
was time for them to go.
Levi led them to the relatively empty mess hall and picked up a few light items
for them to eat before he led the omega back up to their quarters, an arm
around the boy the entire time, uncaring of the stares and whispers that
followed them. He couldn't have kept himself from touching Eren even if he'd
wanted to, his protective instincts working on overdrive in the aftermath of
what had happened, what could have happened.
He set the tray of food, mostly fruit, cereal, crackers, bread, and cheese,
onto the night table and stripped off his boots, socks, and shirt once they'd
closed the door to their quarters. He immediately reached for Eren again once
he'd finished, tugging the omega into his arms and scenting him, pleased
humming rumbles sounding in his chest.
"How are you feeling about all of this, Brat?" He asked in a quiet tone,
holding Eren by the waist and gazing into his expressive eyes, fully aware that
the situation was likely overwhelming for the teen.
"Uhm... I don't know," Eren laughed nervously. "I guess... Relieved, but also
terrified," he admitted. "How do you feel about this?" Though he already knew
the man was happy.
Levi's mouth twitched into a smile. "I'm fucking ecstatic, brat. Remember, I've
been dreaming about this," the alpha said, giving the boy a squeeze, eyes warm
with affection. He was happy.
The boy returned the smile, pressing his forehead against Levi's. "Y-You're not
scared at all?" Eren asked quietly. How could Levi be so assured?
"Why would I be?" The alpha replied. He probably should be more concerned about
being a father, about how the future might turn out, but he was confident in
his ability to protect his omega and their offspring and he'd always liked
small children, having spent a number of years looking out for the many orphans
in the underground. Children were simple and this wasn't just any child, but
one that belonged to him and Eren.
"Well there's just... There's a lot," the omega said uncertainly, running a
hand through his hair. "I mean-Erwin, the MP, my shifting abilities, and I'm
still so young, I-- How can you not be terrified?" Eren questioned. "Don't get
me wrong, I-I'm really happy... I guess I'm just a bit in shock... It's
unreal."
Levi listened as Eren talked, leaning his head against the boy's shoulder.
"Yes, it's a lot and it's not going to be a walk in the park, but anything
that's worth something is never easy. I'm a strong alpha; I'll protect us. And
you're such a strong omega, even young as you are, you'll be fine. Together,
we'll make it work," he assured, rubbing his hand up and down Eren's back
soothingly.
“As for the Commander, you just stay far away from him. I'll deal with him when
he returns. I don't want you to stress yourself more, Eren. It'll be bad for
the baby. Let me take care of it."
The boy nodded hesitantly. "But without me training like I normally do, won't
everyone get suspicious? And what if I need to turn into a Titan, but I can't?
What if the baby is a shifter like me and they want to kill it? Levi, I don't
know-- I don't know if I can do this," he breathed shakily, voice rising as he
started to get a bit panicked.
The alpha frowned, brow furrowing and he pulled Eren tighter against him,
laying them both back into their bed, propped up by pillows. "You can do this.
You will. I'll be with you. You'll train until you can't. The lighter regimen
can be excused under the guise that Hanji made you ill during an experiment. A
number of soldiers saw the scene yesterday morning. People will talk, but it
will only be rumours until the proof shows itself. And I think you're abilities
won't abandon you if they are required. They seem pretty keen on keeping the
little brat inside you safe, so I think you'll be able to shift if it's
necessary, and I already told you what will happen if the MP decide to
interfere," he assured, a hand creeping under the hem of Eren's shirt to stroke
his belly once again, unable to stop himself from acting on the urge. He
couldn't see it yet, but there was a little life growing inside. A tiny,
precious life that they'd made together. It was an indescribable feeling to
know that he had created life when he had been responsible for the loss of so
many in the past.
Eren took a deep breath, putting his hand on top of Levi's as he looked at the
alpha. "You're right, I know, I'm... I guess I'm just being irrational, huh?"
He asked, fingers intertwining with the alpha's over his still smooth and flat
belly.
Levi's lips curved into a smirk. "Well, you are pregnant. It's my understanding
irrationality comes part and parcel to the condition," he murmured, mercury
dancing with humour as he looked at Eren, giving the boy's fingers weaved
between his own a little squeeze .
The brunette rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "I suppose I have to
apologize ahead of time if I start acting any kind of crazy," he said, lips
twitching as he held back a smile of his own, calmed by his alpha's soothing
words and presence. "I really hope I'm not this paranoid the whole nine
months."
A chuckle vibrated through the raven's chest, "As if you aren't already a crazy
brat," he murmured, laughter in his tone.
"You'll be fine. Do you feel well enough to eat? You haven't had anything since
yesterday's breakfast, which didn't exactly stay where it was supposed to."
"Mh, I could eat.. I'm not feeling queasy anymore." The boy's stomach was
actually growling. "I suppose I do have to be a bit better with my eating
habits now, huh?" He sat up a bit, reaching for the tray as Levi smiled at his
mate. He'd definitely be making sure Eren was eating well, even if he had to
force feed the stubborn omega. 
Though, it wouldn't come to that as long as he gave Eren enough sweets...
===============================================================================
 
It was just shy of a month later that Levi got the chance to confront the
Commander. Erwin had spent a tremendous amount of effort and time avoiding the
raven alpha, aware that his ploy had not worked and that the captain had been
made aware of his role in the incident with his mate. The tall blonde hadn't
accounted for Eren's shifting abilities working as they had. For the weeks he
avoided Levi, he had been planning. He was running short on time before it
would be near impossible to get the omega away from the alpha and he needed the
problem taken care of before then.
Levi caught his scent before he saw him. Erwin was on his way to his office in
the middle of the night after a long meeting with some high ranked officials
and did not immediately realize he was being followed, assuming all soldiers
were tucked away in bed for the night. Levi was up because his omega wanted
strawberries and cream with a side of fucking mushrooms of all fucking things
at the ungodly hour and Levi was a good alpha, so he'd been on his way to
search out the mess hall for the items his mate had demanded when he crossed
paths with the commander.
The raven shoved the taller male against the wall of the corridor with a loud
thump, eyes narrowed dangerously and glinting molten steel in the dull light of
the torches before he'd even fully registered what he was doing.
"You've a lot of nerve avoiding me after what you've done, always on about
responsibility and owning up to your own mistakes. I never pegged you for a
coward," he spat venomously, one tense, muscled arm braced across Erwin's broad
chest like iron. His scent was powerfully aggressive and incredibly
intimidating, considering the man's size. He was shirtless and wore no shoes of
any sort, having lost his usual casual slippers to his omega mate along with at
least half of his shirts.
Erwin grunted, half assedly attempting to push Levi's arm away, but failing. "I
haven't been avoiding you; I just knew you'd make a big deal out of this, so I
saw no point in trying to interact with you when you'd be such an animal about
it," the taller male growled out lowly.
Levi snarled, "Me? I'm the animal? You had a fifteen year old boy attempt to
give himself a fucking abortion, Erwin. He nearly killed himself in the
process. I should demonstrate the trauma inflicted on him on you. I don't
imagine you'll recover quite as well as he has." Levi's voice was guttural, low
and deadly and he pressed his forearm harder against Erwin's chest until the
older alpha grit his teeth in pain.
"Ghh... You know he wouldn't have died, Levi. I knew his shifting abilities
would save him. I didn't tell the kid to stab himself, I only told him to get
rid of the baby."
"Is that how you justify it to yourself, you piece of shit?! He told me what
you said to him. You used me to manipulate him. He nearly disemboweled himself
because he thought it would save me from being branded a shitty traitor. I may
have disobeyed your orders, but what you've done is personal. You betrayed me,
Erwin. You might as well have had us arrested. I should kill you..." Levi
wanted to, god did he want to. It would be satisfying to rip the older male's
throat out, to let him choke on his own blood, but he wasn't going to go so
far. Erwin had saved his life once and Levi owed him for that, but they were no
longer friends. He would never forgive the man for what he'd done to Eren.
"I didn't tell Eren to go as far as he did. Hanji told me how bad it was. I
thought he'd throw himself down the stairs or make someone punch him. I didn't
think the kid would stab himself. But I knew he wouldn't die, Levi. He wasn't
in danger. But him having this baby is putting the both of you in danger. Maybe
I betrayed you, but you don't realize that it was for your own good, dammit."
Levi shook his head in disgust. "It's not your decision to make. And you didn't
do it for us. Don't pretend you care about anything but the goddamned power
struggle; the cause. If you cared about Eren and I, you'd be supporting us
instead of sabotaging us. The only reason you're still living is because both
Eren and our child are safe and because I owed you a life debt." He pushed away
harshly from the older man, the impact thrusting Erwin back into the wall,
"We're even now. You'll stay away from my omega, or next time I meet you in a
dark corridor, I won't be so generous." He stared intensely at the taller
blonde, threats lingering in the gunmetal depths.
"Fine, we're even," Erwin lied. "Don't expect my help ever again. Are you going
to pin me against another wall, or are we done here?"
The shorter alpha bared his teeth and growled, "Don't tempt me, Commander," he
said in parting, turning away and heading back in the direction of the mess
hall.
“Maybe Eren should've disemboweled himself," Erwin grumbled under his breath,
turning on his heel and walking in the opposite direction of Levi.
The younger male paused, tensing as the breathy words carried in the otherwise
silent hallway. His fists clenched and his scent flared.
He didn't realize he'd moved until he felt the satisfying impact of his
knuckles on the older alpha's jaw, Erwin's head snapped to the side and a
grimace crossed his normally composed features. He'd stumbled back and almost
lost his footing, one hand steadying him against the wall beside him. There
would be a purple bruise come morning and Levi hissed his breath through his
clenched teeth, reigning in his temper with difficulty.
He swallowed the murderous rage, eyes daring the man to retaliate. "Give me a
reason, Smith," he said warningly, letting the electric silence crackle between
them for long moments before he scoffed and stalked away, leaving the commander
alone in the corridor rubbing a hand over his jaw tenderly. 
Levi was fuming, shaking with rage and adrenaline as he slammed into the mess
hall. He didn't even realize he was bleeding from the split knuckles of his
left hand until he had nearly dripped crimson into the cream he'd collected for
Eren. He growled and wrapped a tea towel around his fist before he searched out
the other items. There were no strawberries, but there were wild raspberries
that some of the recruits had collected and he figured they were close enough.
He took the sliced mushrooms, bowl of sweet cream and a handful of the berries
before he returned to their shared quarters.
"You'll have to settle for raspberries, brat; there weren't any more shitty
strawberries," he said in greeting, voice still gravelly and hand still
haphazardly wrapped in the now ruined towel.
Eren looked up once the man entered, eyes immediately falling on the alpha's
wrapped hand after he smelled his angry scent. "Levi?" the omega asked in
alarm. "What happened?" He immediately straightened, blankets falling from his
gradually changing body as he took Levi's hand into his own gently to begin
unwrapping it to survey the damage.
The alpha immediately set the food down on the side table near the bed, wincing
when the boy sat up, concern in his scent. Levi hissed when Eren pulled the
fabric from the wounds, the sting of them finally registering as the adrenaline
waned in his system.
"Ran into Erwin..." He replied, jaw twitching a bit as he watched his mate.
Eren looked beautiful, tanned skin lit with a healthy glow, sharpness smoothed
out of his features. He'd gained some weight and there was the tiniest curve
outwards from his stomach where their child was growing. And he smelled so
fucking good now, like honey and milk. It drove the alpha wild, but he had
controlled himself ever since Eren's heat. They'd been no more intimate than
kissing, cuddling and bathing. Levi had not wanted to push for more, especially
now that the boy was pregnant and after what had happened with the attempted
abortion, he was afraid to suggest anything more. Eren didn't seem interested,
and Levi accepted that. Eren was only fifteen after all. He accepted it, but
that didn't mean it made it any easier to ignore his desire for the boy. It was
only getting worse, and the alpha decided he may have to take matters into his
own hands just to get some relief when his mate was asleep. Maybe in the
morning.
"You ran into-- Levi, what did you do?" Eren questioned, tone drenched in
worry, afraid Levi might've killed the man. He walked into the connecting
kitchen while waiting for Levi's response, retrieving a cool, wet rag to gently
wipe down Levi's hand.
"I didn't kill him. I told him we were even in life debts. Had some nasty
words. I was going to leave... Stupid prick had to open his shitty mouth, so I
shut it for him... With my fist..." He replied, running his uninjured hand
through his hair.
"What did he say that was offensive enough for you to hit him? You could've
broken your hand..." Eren scolded like a worried mother, grabbing bandages from
the nightstand drawer and beginning to wrap Levi's hand. There were probably
bandages and wraps of all kinds in every drawer in every good soldier's room.
Who knew when you'd need them? Even Eren, with his abilities, needed bandages
every once in a while from the hard and rigorous duty of being a soldier.
"Never mind what he said. He won't be saying it again, that's all that
matters," Levi replied, watching from half lidded eyes, holding his hand up for
the boy to wrap it for him.
"It was about me..." Eren mumbled, not even having to ask further as he stared
down at Levi's wrapped hand placed gently in his own. "You didn't have to do
that," he whispered, though his heart swelled with a bit of pride rather than
consuming guilt.
"Of course I had to. I could have killed him for what he did, Eren. I should
have. And he doesn't think he did anything wrong. He tried to pull his shit on
me, tried to tell me he did it for our own good, like he gives a shit about our
well-being," he gritted out, irritated for having remembered what the Commander
had said.
"I know..." Eren admitted with a sigh. Probably, even if Erwin hadn't said
anything at all, Levi would've still punched him. Levi needed to relieve that
rage, and he likely felt a little vindicated now that he had. "I bet it felt
good, huh? Did his face make any cracking sounds?" Eren couldn't help asking,
almost the sound of... Excitement in his voice. The idea of his alpha fighting
an equally strong opponent for him was satisfying in a deep seeded primal way
that made him shiver.
Levi smirked, a maliciously satisfied curl at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah...
I could've broken his jaw, but I managed to restrain myself. He'll have one
hell of a bruise, though. It was satisfying..." He said, eyeing the omega with
heated interest.
He shifted on the bed, acutely aware of the arousal curling threateningly in
his gut, "But enough about him. It's late. Eat your fucking weird snack so we
can go to sleep."
"It's not weird," Eren defended childishly, reaching for the tray and quickly
dipping a mushroom in the cream rather than a raspberry, and he didn't miss the
way Levi seemed to shiver with disgust while watching him pop it in his mouth
eagerly. "You just don't understand," the omega continued, mouth a bit full as
he shook his head, one hand resting on the slight little curve of his abdomen
as if it was answer enough.
"Tch, whatever, brat. I don't want to understand," the older man said, shaking
his head, though the mercury of his eyes glowed with a mix of humour, affection
and a lingering smoulder of lust.
He laid back against his pillow, lazily watching Eren eat as the omega rested
his other hand on the subtle curve of his growing stomach. Levi licked his lips
unconsciously... Eren looked so tempting like that, especially with the
appreciative noises he seemed to be making while he ate. He could feel his dick
stirring with interest in his loose-fitting pajama bottoms.
"Do you think people will start to notice soon?" Eren asked conversationally,
leaning back against his own pillows and one of Levi's as he popped a raspberry
into his mouth, the juice staining his already pink lips a darker shade.
Levi's gaze flickered to stained lips and he swallowed a sudden excess of
saliva in his mouth. He was so distracted, he almost missed what his mate had
asked, taking several long seconds to respond. "Probably not for another couple
weeks if you keep wearing my shirts, you shitty thief," his voice noticeably
deeper and huskier when he spoke.
"I am not a thief. If you put a baby in me, I can wear your clothes. Those are
the rules," the boy replied in a serious and 'matter of fact' tone as he
finished up the last of his odd snack. It was nearly midnight by now and now
that the craving was sated, he was tired.
The alpha grunted and rolled his eyes, "And I suppose doing all that extra
laundry is also a part of my punishment, then..." He grumbled. He was only
teasing the boy; in reality he liked seeing Eren in his clothes. He liked
spoiling his pregnant omega.
He took the dishes from Eren's lap and placed them back on the little table
before turning out the flickering oil lamp, the moonlight from the window
bathing the room in dim white light. He hovered over the boy until he'd settled
into the mattress.
Levi pushed Eren's shirt up and bowed over to lay a soft kiss on the still
small swell of life, unable to help himself from doing so. "Sweet dreams,
brat," he whispered against the smooth skin before he replaced the fabric and
settled in next to his mate, pulling the boy in to him. He kissed the corner of
Eren's lips and laid a palm over the omega's belly protectively.
"I love you."
Eren closed his eyes, snuggling into his alpha and placing his hand on top of
Levi's, his heart swelling with love and pride. He loved this, he really did.
He loved the love Levi gave him and their unborn baby, he loved the man
spoiling him like this. He loved knowing Levi as no one else did. It made him
forget every bad thing that was happening to them. "I love you too," he
whispered, lips pressing against Levi's neck and jawline a few times before he
settled next to his mate, letting his exhaustion take over.
TBC...
 
***** Happiness of the Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Levi's eyes blinked open, squinting in the predawn light. He glanced at the boy
still dead to the world nestled against his side, looking so innocent, features
slack and peaceful, tousled hair even more mussed from sleep and, dark, long
lashes resting on soft cheeks, bowed lips pale pink and partially open as
breath came and went rhythmically.
The simmering desire that had remained in his gut for months flared eagerly.
There was a stronger desire for the boy, something wholly possessive and primal
knowing that Eren's belly was swelling with life he'd put there. He shuddered,
growling low in his throat as his member throbbed intently and had nothing to
do with the early hour.
He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, willing it to go the fuck away. It
didn't work in the slightest, the sizzling arousal spreading beneath his skin.
He just needed to get some form of relief, then maybe his desire would at least
abate to a manageable level again. He heaved a heavy sigh from his lungs and
carefully extracted himself from the rumpled bed, immediately padding into the
adjoining bathroom on silent feet, shutting the door behind him, though he was
too distracted to be sure it had closed firmly.
He dropped his cotton pants, allowing them to catch on his thighs as he leaned
back against the wall next to him, hissing through his teeth and shutting his
eyes tightly as he palmed at his stiff and already glistening cock.
Images of his mate flowed through his mind with abrupt intensity and he fisted
the thick shaft tightly to mimic what he remembered it was like inside Eren. It
wasn't nearly enough, but the fantasies of the boy begging him to take him
helped and he let out a low moan as he began jerking his hips in thrusting
motions. "Fu-ck... Eren..."
Eren stirred in the sheets, stretching as he awoke. When he felt the spot on
the bed next to him where his alpha usually resided, it was empty. It was still
warm, but empty. Eren opened up his eyes. "Levi..?" He mumbled, but there was
no reply.
He slowly forced himself out of bed, rubbing his eyes as he made his way to the
bathroom. He pressed his ear against the door, frowning as he heard the heated
breathing and odd rustling sounds from behind it's surface. "Levi?" He called
louder, opening the door without warning.
He wasn't expecting the sight he was greeted with. Levi was against the wall,
jacking off like a horny teenage boy and moaning Eren's name. Eren felt heat
bubble up in his abdomen and his eyes widened, cheeks going bright red, but he
was unable to look away.
The alpha opened his lust hazed eyes, half lidded as he panted, hand stilling
on his cock as his molten mercury gaze slid up and down the pregnant omega's
body. His pupils dilated rapidly and he scented the air, thick with dominant
desire. He licked his lips, trembling a little against the wall as tense
muscles strained to stay still, to keep from stroking himself again, breathing
heavy and ragged as his fingers tightened to a near painful grip on the base of
his erection.
"I'm sorry... I just... I'll be finished s-soon..." He managed to murmur
breathily. He hadn't meant for the boy to see him like this, but he couldn't
stop now.
The omega stared at the man, eyes still wide. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that
you were-- Why didn't you wake me up?" Eren questioned, confused why his alpha
would rather be alone when he had a perfectly willing mate sharing his bed.
Levi swallowed thickly, staring hard at his mate. "I didn't want to pressure
you..." He should have felt awkward standing there holding his cock, but he
didn't have the capacity for embarrassment at the moment and he honestly didn't
think he could remove his hand even if he wanted to. He was afraid if he moved,
he'd attack the boy and force him down. He badly wanted to bury himself inside
Eren, to knot him again, make him cry out until he lost his voice and any
capacity to move his body.
"You wouldn't have been putting pressure on me," the teen assured softly. "I
thought you didn't want to... Do it, you know, because of the baby. I didn't
know if that would be bad for it, or if you even..." Eren shrugged, biting his
plump bottom lip.
"You... I thought you didn't... After your heat and since then, I didn't want
to push..." The alpha husked, breathing heavily through his mouth. He hadn't
scented any real lust on Eren since his heat, certainly there had been times
when he scented interest in the boy's scent, but it wasn't strong enough for
the raven to attempt bedding the brat again. He'd been waiting for some sign
that Eren wanted to have sex with him again. He'd enjoyed everything they did
together, innocent as it had been and contented himself with that affectionate
intimacy. It had been fine, but Eren's sweetened scent and the changes the
pregnancy had on the boy excited the alpha's instincts, making his mate
inexplicably more attractive over time.
"Of course I want to," Eren breathed, feeling a little breathless as he spoke.
"We've just been so busy, and the baby... Sex just wasn't on my mind. But of
course I want to." He stepped further into the bathroom, approaching the alpha
with undoubted desire in his Caribbean eyes.
He slowly pushed Levi's hand away from his cock, wrapping his arms around
Levi's neck to press his lips to the older male's.
Levi stiffened when his mate approached, nostrils flaring and breath hitching
as the scent of the omega's awakened lust mingled enticingly with his own. He
shuddered when Eren's hand pried his hand away from his erection and let out a
needy growling whine when the boy's arms settled over his shoulders and those
soft, plump lips slanted over his own.
His hand was in Eren's hair abruptly, roughly pulling him deeper into the kiss,
mouth opening in invitation, clever tongue teasing along the omega's bottom
lip. His other arm wound around the shifter's waist and pulled him flush
against himself, erection trapped tortuously between the press of their bodies.
"Mhh..." The omega hummed into the kiss, one of his legs hitching up around
Levi's waist to keep their two bodies locked together. He could feel Levi's
stiff member pressing up against him, so he didn't hesitate to move his hips
back and forth, grinding against the hard thickness.
The raven panted against Eren's mouth, moaning as the boy's hips rutted against
his and he slid the arm from around Eren's waist beneath the hitched thigh to
support his weight under the plump cheeks of his ass and used it to lift the
omega off his feet entirely.
He shifted a bit to loosen his pants from their bound position on his thighs
and stepped out of them entirely when they pooled at his feet. The hand curled
tightly in Eren's hair slid down his back and up beneath the boy's shirt to
steady him when Levi began to walk, carrying the now heavier omega to the bed
with little effort, lost to desire and instinct. His omega wanted him now. He
wasn't in heat or being influenced by his alpha's demanding lust; Levi had been
so wrong in thinking Eren didn't want to mate again. It was intoxicating.
He dropped Eren back onto the bed and stood back a bit to look at him, licking
the taste of his mate from his lips as his caressed over the rumpled and mostly
clothed body of the boy, humming husky approval in his throat.
Eren kept reaching up at Levi, hands gripping at the man's shirt before he
tugged it off over his head, tossing it to the floor. "I want you," Eren let
out in one heated breath, feeling the alpha's hands grazing his oversensitive
body.
Levi growled in response, the statement driving him wild and he roughly pushed
Eren's shirt up and off, tossing it across the room before he yanked the boy's
underwear off shapely tanned legs, immediately sliding his palms along smooth
thighs to the rounded hips, bowing over the kiss, lick and nip along the little
mound of the omega's belly up to his chest, breathing hotly along the flesh.
The boy tasted like he smelled, honey and cream heavy on the alpha's tongue as
he dragged it over the boy's right nipple, sucking the little nub between his
lips and worrying it between his teeth. He placed a knee onto the bed between
the boy's spread thighs, hands groping harshly at his hips and sides, laving
attention over the teen's lithe chest, switching to the other nipple and giving
it the same treatment as the other, low purring growls and needy groans rolling
through his chest and washing over Eren's flushed skin.
The omega let a little moan escape his lips, eyes squeezing shut as his back
arched up off the bed beneath the influence of Levi's mouth. “Levi,” he
breathed, hands desperately tangling in the strands of raven hair as the alpha
spoiled him rotten. The boy had hickeys lining from his belly button up to his
pert, pink nipples, and he loved every deep red mark his mate branded on his
skin.
The older man made a guttural sound of pleasure between a groan and hitched
whine that sounded from his throat as Eren's fingers tangled in his hair. He
kissed and sucked his way back down to nip at the omega's hip bones, trailing
his tongue along the crease where Eren's leg met his pelvis, teasingly close to
the boy's straining erection. "Taste so good..." He breathed against the
flushed, damp skin.
Eren let out heated breaths, half lidded and hazy eyes staring down at the
older male as a slight smirk crossed his lips. He took in the alpha’s scent,
nearly shuddering at how good the Levi smelled right then. “Mh... I bet you
taste better,” the omega whispered rather breathlessly.
A feral smirk crossed Levi's lips as his blown gaze flickered up to meet the
omega's equally heated eyes. He ran his tongue over his teeth, the tip wetting
his already slick and reddened lips anew. The breathy words were erotic in a
way that made his cock twitch and throb. He doubted there was anything that
tasted better than his omega, but that didn't make the sentiment behind Eren's
words any less potent.
"'S that so?" He murmured breathily, crawling up the teen's body, fingertips
ghosting along the boy's inner thighs teasingly. He didn't know if the omega
would produce slick outside of his heat, avoiding the crevasse where his thighs
met his plump little ass, unwilling to find out. He vaguely recalled some long
ago piece of information about bonded omega's becoming aroused enough outside
of heat to get wet, but he was just insecure enough deep down that he wasn't
ready to know if he'd had that effect on Eren or not.
The younger nodded, cheeks darkening further crimson as he felt the alpha’s
fingers graze the skin of his inner thighs. His hands came down from Levi’s
hair to massage the man’s neck and shoulders, easing any tension away that had
been built up recently. “I wish you’d let me spoil you as much as you spoil
me."
Levi hummed his response, watching the omega from beneath his lashes for
several long heated moments. "You want to take control little omega?" He asked,
voice husky, intense heat flaring in his eyes at the idea of surrendering to
his omega.
Eren hesitated before giving a shy nod. He’d never done that before, and he
wasn’t quite sure how. But he wanted to do it for Levi, a little excited by the
prospect. “Can I...” he cut off, clearing his throat. “Can I suck you?” he
whispered, unable to get his voice to work properly.
Searing lust rolled in Levi's gut, cock jerking with avid interest. He loved
Eren's lips; they were always soft, bowed and plump, to have them spread and
wrapped around his... He groaned low and his scent intensified, thickening and
hovering heavy in the air.
He rolled the both of them over so his mate was now over him and he rested his
palms on the boy's hips, squeezing a little in encouragement, "I'm all yours
brat."
The omega swallowed hard and slowly slid down the alpha’s body, leaning down to
press his lips just below Levi’s navel almost hesitantly, letting them drag
down the dark smattering of hair trailing lower. He stopped just above Levi’s
straining member, hot breath gliding over the reddened head with every exhale
of air the omega let out. He was nervous, shaking slightly, but he was also
eager. He let himself lower down until his lips were touching the tip of Levi’s
erection, precum coating the the soft surfaces to make them even glossier than
they had been before. He licked it off, moaning at the taste. Eren couldn’t
pinpoint what the man tasted like. It wasn’t honey sweet, like Eren’s taste,
but it was still sweet and a tad spicy. It was more of a bitter taste with a
sweet aftertaste, a lot like dark chocolate truffles with a lingering spice of
cinnamon.
Levi's eyes were glued to his omega as the boy slithered down his body. He
panted heavily, body thrumming with electric anticipation. His fingers pressed
against Eren's shoulders, tensing and relaxing against the supple flesh, thumbs
stroking at the boy's throat, massaging at the sensitive glands located there.
He made a low humming moan of encouragement as the boy kissed above his
straining cock, forcing himself still when he felt the hot breath wash over
him. A full body shudder wracked through him when those perfect lips made
contact, swallowing hard and staring, mouth open without sound and his fingers
twitched, fighting the strong urge to tug the boy's hair and guide his mouth
further. It had been so long, he couldn't even remember when and it was so much
more with Eren than any experience he'd claimed in the past.
Eren parted his lips, slowly taking the tip of the alpha’s heated member into
his mouth before releasing it seconds later with a satisfying pop. He honestly
had no clue how to do this, but he was going by instinct. He took Levi into his
mouth again, this time much further down, about halfway
“Hah-ah! Sh-shit..." Levi's fingers curled into Eren's hair and his breathy
curse tapered to a desperate whine. His tensed body arched off the mattress a
little, bowstring taught and trembling with the tremendous effort it took not
to thrust himself roughly into that wet heat.
“Mh-h...” Eren’s mouth was so full already, but he began to bob his head up and
down, slicking Levi’s member with saliva as he took him down a bit deeper, the
omega’s eyes squeezed shut in concentration. He gripped at the alpha’s thighs
for support, tongue swirling around the hot head of his alpha’s thick shaft.
"Nn s'good..." Levi was watching his dick pumping in and out of Eren's mouth
from heavily lidded eyes, a sliver of silver under the veil of opaque lashes
that trembled with effort to remain open to enjoy the view. His fingers pet at
the omega's silky hair encouragingly, thighs twitching under the teen's hands
as his hips jerked ever so slightly. "Eren..."
The young man didn’t want to make Levi cum, so he listened to the alpha’s
noises carefully. He didn’t want his alpha to cum because then he might not be
able to release inside of Eren, and the omega couldn’t risk that. He needed the
man’s knot, needed to feel his seed inside him, reminding him he belonged to
the raven. He hummed shakily around Levi’s shaft, the tip nearly touching the
back of Eren’s throat.
Levi's chest heaved with his breaths and he could feel the tightness building
in his belly, his fingers going tight in Eren's hair again, a low growling
whine of warning escaping past flushed lips, as his hips tried desperately to
follow his mate's mouth, eyes finally closing, the knot at the base not quite
swelled, but a bit more prominent than it had been, unwilling to inflate fully
without actually being inside his omega's tight little ass.
Eren’s mouth made slurping sounds around Levi’s shaft, pulling away with a pop
once more. “You taste so good, ” the omega panted, leaning down to lick and
suck at the slightly swollen base of Levi’s cock hungrily.
The alpha groaned when Eren's mouth pulled away from his slick shaft, already
missing the heady suction that had been driving him to edge of climax. He
stuttered an exhale as the boy lapped at the somewhat flared knot at his base
and shuddered violently.
"Mmn, glad it's to your lik-ing, brat," he panted, stuck in the limbo between
orgasm and needing more.
“I’d like it more inside me,” Eren breathed almost desperately against Levi’s
member, hands working at the alpha’s base to keep him pleasured and hard.
Levi hissed softly through clenched teeth and his hips jerked under Eren's
hands. "Mmn, what's stopping you from having it then?" The alpha breathed
heatedly, fingertips slipping along whatever skin he could reach as the omega
teased him with his touch.
“Absolutely nothing,” the omega replied, bringing himself up to hover over the
man, swinging his leg over onto the other side of Levi’s hips so his ass was
right over the alpha's cock. Eren had never ridden the man before; he’d
actually never even really thought about it. He just loved Levi dominating him
so much, he’d never thought about being on top, but now that he was doing it,
he found it was kind of exciting.
The alpha's hot palms slid up the boy's thighs when he climbed over his lap and
he rubbed his cock between the velvety cheeks of his ass, humming approval and
squeezing at Eren's hips. He bent his knees a bit and planted his feet on the
mattress in preparation, hazy gaze meeting Eren's in challenge, ferocious lust
and warm affection flickering in the mercurial depths. "You want my knot
omega?" He questioned, voice lilting huskily with taunting. He loved dominating
the younger male, pressing him into whatever surface and pinning him and
watching him come undone, but there was a satisfying sense of control in making
Eren work for it, to allow the omega the perception of dominion over his alpha
and Levi revelled in the strong scent around them. He brushed the knuckles of
his unwrapped hand over the soft mound of Eren's belly, smirking smugly. He'd
done that... And right now he almost wished he was able to do it again.
He'd let Eren do as he liked until he was begging, then he'd take him like
before, dominate and bask in his submission beneath his alpha. Levi would make
a mess of him.
This would be the first time Levi entered Eren without the omega having any
preparation at all, but the little rosebud between his cheeks was wet with
slick despite the fact he wasn’t in heat, most likely caused by a combination
of arousal and unpredictable hormones.
Eren lined himself up, lowering down a bit until Levi’s head was pressed up
against his hole, and only then did the omega allow himself to slip down a bit,
sucking up the blunted head in one swift motion and causing him to gasp and let
out a little cry of surprise, hands reaching blindly for Levi's support. He
wasn’t experienced with this, he had to go slow, especially in his state and he
needed the stability his alpha could provide him.
The alpha's smirk turned soft as he watched his mate, weaving his fingers
between the boy's clutching digits when they sought his out, the hand on Eren's
hip steadying the teen as he sank down slowly onto the thickness. He let out a
rumbling croon that was comfort and encouragement as he desperately held
control over the vicious instinct to buck up into the deliciously slick
tightness. "Mhmm, that's it baby... Feel so good..."
Eren squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a low moan mixed with a whine as he
lowered himself until his backside connected with the alpha’s pelvis and he was
drawing in deep, shuddering breaths. He was so tight, and he wasn’t used to not
being soaking with slick like he had been with his heat. After all, this was
his first time outside of his heat and it was intense in a way it hadn't been
then.
"Shh... It's okay baby... It's all in..." The alpha soothed, letting the omega
squeeze his hand as hard as he liked and rubbing the pad of his thumb over
Eren's hipbone. The boy was fucking tight, slick but not drenched and it had
been so long since they'd done this; they had not been so intimate since the
boy's heat. He was immensely pleased, alpha pride swelling in his chest knowing
his omega was aroused enough to be wet outside of his heat cycle, but he had
enough of his wits to know he couldn't just take Eren as he had before.
He slid the hand on Eren's hip up the teen's side, over his chest and to the
back of his neck, shifting a bit to reach, wrapping his fingers around the
boy's nape and dragging him down for a lingering kiss that was not harsh, but
tender and not lacking in passion as he lazily snaked his tongue inside the
moist cavern, tasting himself in the boy's mouth and humming into the lip lock.
The kiss was all aching desire and intense need, the brutal crushing of his
desperate love for everything Eren was and he needed to impress and imprint
that feeling onto his mate as he let the youth adjust to the new sensation of
being filled outside the haze of heat.
The omega groaned against Levi's lips, slowly relaxing into his touch as their
mouths pressed against each other intently. He breathed heavily through his
nose, wiggling his hips again and letting out a whine of mixed pleasure.
Levi's moan echoed Eren's whine and he rolled his hips up into him, slow and
gentle in the motions. The fingers at the back of the omega's neck threaded
into the soft strands of downy chestnut, massaging lightly as his other hand
remained entwined tightly with his mate's.
The alpha swallowed another moan from the boy as Eren's body shivered and he
squeezed Levi's hand. "H-Levi-" he breathed against the older male's lips,
rocking his hips in time with Levi's movements slowly.
"Mmn, Eren... Good?" Was the breathy murmur that came in response. The alpha
kept his thrusts paced and rhythmic, meeting the boy's rocking downwards
motions, low sounds of pleasure bubbling from his mouth between harsh breaths.
It felt so fucking amazing... To be so connected... He pulled the boy tighter
against him, feeling the slightly rounded protrusion of Eren's belly press and
rub against his own and warm affection blossomed through the heady lust. God,
he loved this boy.
"Mh-so good," Eren practically whimpered, closing his eyes as he rolled his
hips, shaking from the searing electric bolts of pleasure that spiked in thick
waves through his body. His swelling belly pressed flush against Levi's, the
pressure firm enough to be felt, but gentle enough that it wouldn't discomfort
the baby inside.
Levi purred huskily in response, rocking up into the omega with a little more
intensity, soft squelching sounds beginning to permeate the room as each slow,
deliberate thrust stretched Eren's tight channel, getting it used to the
thickness within. The alpha's hand travelled down from Eren's neck, along his
spine to spread against the small of his back, rubbing along the smooth flesh
appreciatively.
Eren panted heavily, toes curling as he let the alpha rock their bodies
together, his cock rubbing up against Eren's sweet spot with every motion. He
couldn't contain the aroused noises that escaped him, tense and shivering from
the intensity of the sensations running through his hormonal body. He couldn't
hold himself up, arms giving out under the strain and his body pressed flush
against Levi's. God, it felt so good.
The boy was practically boneless against him, unable to keep himself seated
upright any longer. Levi hummed again, low and guttural in his chest and
wrapped his arms around the omega, holding him as he rolled them over once
again, hips flush against the boy's beneath him, elbows digging into the
bedding as hot palms cupped Eren's shoulder blades.
Levi rocked his hips back and forward at an almost lazy pace, kissing the
shifter's collarbones and throat, leaving fresh marks and laving attention over
the scarred marking that he'd put there all those weeks ago.
The brunette groaned hoarsely, tossing his head back into the mattress, nails
digging into the sheets as Levi pressed lavish kisses and love bites all over
his tanned skin. "Nh-h." The noises that escaped the omega's throat were soft
and innocent, like he was a virgin all over again. "I'm so close," he panted,
tone thick with need.
Levi leaned back from the boy's neck to look at his flushed face, taking in the
thick, shapely brows furrowed in pleasure, and the wet, reddened lips open to
release panting breaths and aching moans. Fucking... "Beautiful..." His voice
was strained with his own pleasure and emotion. He managed to wiggle one hand
from under Eren's back and wedged it between their bellies, even less room than
there had been once, to wrap his sweaty hand around the omega's weeping member,
stroking in time with the still rhythmic lazy rolling of his hips. The heat
coiled tight in the pit of his stomach simmered, knot swollen and aching
desperately for relief, but he forced back the urge to give in, intent on
making his mate cum without speeding his motions, wanting Eren's first real
experience outside of his heat to be memorable; slow, passionate lovemaking
where it built up at such a torturous pace, but once it crested, it lasted what
felt like forever and limbs were left numb, vision hazy, and breath was lost.
He needed it to be like that for his mate, needed Eren to feel how much Levi
felt for him, to understand how deeply his existence effected the alpha.
He leaned forward again, angling his thrusts just so, bowing his back so he
could have enough space to continue the synced strokes to the omega's cock,
grip firm, but not harsh, his other hand groping beneath the boy's back,
settling on his lower back and arching him into the smooth thrusts of his hips
and he pressed heated kisses up the column of his throat to his ear, tongue
flickering to taste the lobe and tickle around the flushed shell. "So
perfect... Such a beautiful omega... Mine... You like being mine don't you,
Eren?" he murmured low and guttural, possession and intensity of emotion in his
breathy tone.
Eren nodded eagerly repeatedly, whispering, "Yes," in a steady mantra until he
was sure Levi had heard it. His brows furrowed further and he let out a shaky
moan mixed with a cry, spine arching to press his stomach against Levi's
abdomen as he came hard without any real warning, abruptly spraying his cum in
between their bodies as his own body strained and shook uncontrollably.
Levi groaned as Eren came, his teeth pressing into the scarred mark harshly as
he rolled his hips a handful of times more before he couldn't hold back anymore
and slammed his knot into the shuddering boy beneath him, letting Eren's
spasming channel milk his own release from him, a low growl muffled against the
flesh of the omega's neck where his teeth broke the scarred skin lightly, not
like the first time, but enough to taste a hint of bittersweet blood. He
shuddered and panted hard as his cum flowed into his mate, knot swelling and
tying them together.
"Gh-hih-" Eren panted, teeth gritted as he writhed in pleasure beneath his
alpha until he couldn't move anymore, too worn out to do much besides whisper
to the alpha that he loved him over and over, clinging to his mate with
lethargic limbs.
The raven finally pulled back from Eren's neck and looked up at him with
euphoria blown eyes, the irises a wintery ring of silver blue around the wide
pupils, hazy and warm despite they're colouring. He wiped his hand on the
sheets beneath them and once he was certain it was free of pearly seed, he
brushed his fingers along his mate's cheek and leaned to press their foreheads
together. "I love you Eren and this," he paused to place his other palm over
the damp fleshy mound of Eren's belly, their baby, "Brat too..."
The boy smiled tiredly, looking at Levi with half lidded, sleepy eyes. "I love
this brat too," he whispered. "You think it'll be a brat just like me?"
Levi smiled at his mate in return and hummed, "I know it'll be a brat just like
you. I'm already in love with it." He threaded his fingers through the boy's
hair, thumb caressing his temple affectionately as he spoke.
Eren's smile broadened and he let out a breathy little laugh as he stared into
those silver eyes. "I'm in love with it too. No matter how many weird things it
makes me crave..."
The alpha chuckled, "You aren't craving any of that shit right now are you?" he
questioned, voice losing the serious quality under the grin that he couldn't
keep from his lips. It was still early, the dappled rays of sunlight pouring
into the room through the window that had been hazy with the predawn light when
Levi had first woken, but likely around the time the majority of the soldiers
were up and heading for breakfast.
"Mm..no," he assured the alpha. "Mh...Your knot is enough to satisfy me the
whole day," he breathed before yawning. Luckily, he didn't have morning
sickness. He usually had awful morning sickness, but thankfully not this
particular morning.
"So... What you're saying is, I should feed you this way every morning?" the
alpha's voice was teasing, eyes glittering with heat and humour. That little
smirk was tugging at the corner of his lips again.
He didn't want to leave the bed for the rest of the day, but they only had
maybe an hour or two for his knot to deflate and to bathe before they would
need to leave their quarters and make an appearance on the field for the day.
“I don't know if the baby would appreciate getting jostled around this much
every morning," Eren teased back lightly, smiling as well. "But I wouldn't mind
waking up to this. Whenever I don't have morning sickness, that is."
"Mm, I'll keep that in mind, brat," the alpha said, pressing a kiss to Eren's
sweat damp temple. He was quiet for several moments after that. "Eren, thank
you for this... For everything," he whispered, breath ticklish against the skin
beneath his lips, feeling entirely sentimental in the post-coital haze.
"You don't need to thank me; I didn't do anything," the omega whispered in
embarrassment, hand coming up to thread through Levi's raven locks.
"I do... You don't understand what impact you've had... I wasn't... Before I
met you, I'd turned numb... I hadn't even realized it; I'd become unaffected.
The only time I felt alive was outside the walls where my mortality was
threatened. I never wanted anything, needed anything because nothing mattered.
My whole life has been a sequence of shitty events from the time I was born up
until I met you. People have said so many things about me over the years, given
me so many different titles. Villain, degenerate, criminal, monster, heartless,
enemy, ally, brother, captain, mentor, hero, idol, humanity's strength, Erwin's
dog, but I never wanted to be any of those things. I never asked for any of
them and all of them came with pain; all of them cost me pieces of myself. I
never wanted to be anything, until I wanted to be yours Eren, so yes, I have to
thank you." His voice was barely over a whisper, hoarse and almost rushed as if
he had to get the words out as quickly as possible before he lost his nerve. It
was only this omega, his bonded mate, that he could come undone in front of,
was safe to be vulnerable with; Eren would never purposely wound him; he would
never betray him.
Eren's hand moved to cup the alpha's jaw as he spoke, thumb running over the
man's chin and jawline reverently. "Levi..." He whispered, bright forest eyes
shimmering and teary. He couldn't tell the alpha how much this meant to him. He
couldn't even begin to explain how much it warmed his heart to know Levi loved
him this way, but it also hurt him to think about Levi's past. "I should be the
one thanking you," he whispered. "You've saved my life more times than I can
count. Physically, and emotionally," he admitted. "I don't feel like I'm a
monster when I'm with you." It was true. Everywhere else he was treated like
something awful, an inhuman abomination or an outcast, or yelled at, or
experimented on. But Levi made him feel normal.
"It's equal, brat... You've saved my life, too. You've never been a monster to
me Eren. Even Titans aren't really monsters; they're animals following
instincts; real monsters look human, but choose to inflict senseless damage on
those around them. I've seen real monsters. I've been one, but I have new
titles now and so do you, titles that really mean something." he replied,
nuzzling against the omega's hand and closing his eyes, his own hands brushing
over his mate, petting at his hair and rubbing his side, sentimental and sappy
in the aftermath of their intimacy.
"Being your omega is a much better title than humanity's last hope," Eren
whispered gently. "I wish... I wish things weren't like this... I wish we
didn't have to hide our baby and live in fear..." He admitted
"It's not always going to be this way. We're going to win this war, Eren. Not
for humanity, but for us," Levi's voice was full of conviction. He meant what
he said. He was going to do everything he could to make the world safe for
their child.
"But how do you know?" Eren questioned quietly, looking away. "You can't know
that for sure..."
"I don't... But I have to believe it. Sometimes, you have to put faith in the
unknown," he paused, watching Eren, "When we left the underground, it was on
blind faith that we made it out. We had to believe we'd see the sun. Now... You
and I, we have to believe that we'll be free of the walls Eren. We have to
believe we can win. If we win, we can live freely."
"How did you... Leave the underground?" Eren asked, voice almost hesitant in
inquiry. He still didn't know much about Levi's past except for the fact it had
something to do with Erwin, but he'd never asked. He didn't want to bring up
any bad memories for Levi. "Was it hard?"
Levi inhaled a slow, deep breath, "Yes, it was hard... I had two companions.
We'd been together for a long time by then, looked out for each other; they
were like family. Isabel and Farlan; they were my Mikasa and Armin. We..." his
eyes were distant, memories he'd kept buried for so long came rushing to the
surface, "The underground is a lawless place. You don't live there, you
survive. We thought we could really live if we made it to the surface, so I
found a way. I made a deal with some corrupt members of the military. They
promised us freedom if I could just do them one favour. Of course, We were
desperate enough and I didn't have anything more to lose, so I took the chance.
They acquired 3DM gear for us and gave us a couple weeks to prepare. They asked
me to kill someone for them in return for our freedom... They asked me to kill
Erwin. I agreed without hesitation. It wasn't a hard decision to make. I'd
killed people before."
He paused again, inhaling and exhaling slow breaths, fingers tracing along the
omega's skin as his knot deflated and he slipped free of the boy, rolling off
of him, but pulling him close, stroking his hair as he continued speaking, "It
was raining the night we left the underground to do our part of the deal. It
was the first time we'd seen rain, felt it. We were naive. Erwin was not like
the other desperate people that I'd fought and killed in the dark. He was
ruthless in a way that I couldn't have prepared for. It wasn't born of
desperation, but something deeper, something darker, the kind of darkness that
turns men into monsters and I failed to kill him, but he was not an unmerciful
monster, not then. I thought it might be kindness, that even monsters could be
kind, but I was wrong; I know that now. He saw something in me; I was capable
of the same ruthlessness and he offered a place for me and my friends, a place
in the sun."
Eren felt himself hug the alpha a little bit closer unconsciously, a frown
crossing his features. “What happened… To your friends?” He whispered, though
he very well knew they must be dead. That’s how everything ended these days.
Friendships didn’t just end with a fight or growing apart and going separate
ways; there wasn’t enough time for that. Your friends were dead before you
could even find something to argue about.
"They..." the mercury eyes closed, pained by the memories and his voice
trembled a little when he continued, unused to the rawness of the
recollections; he'd been numb for so long, he'd forgotten what kind of pain
memories could bring to the surface, "They didn't have the same darkness in
them and I... I didn't make it in time. Erwin had been right about me. They'd
wanted to live in the sun and I let them die instead."
Eren let out a shaky breath, arms tightening around his alpha. “Levi...” he
whispered, brows furrowed in empathy, fingers digging into Levi’s skin firmly,
but gently. “I’m so sorry,” he croaked softly. “I’m so sorry.” Levi had lost
his best friends, practically his family, and then his entire squad which was
probably nearly just as close to family. “It’s not your fault,” it was the only
thing that he could manage to say, as he knew Levi was blaming himself. After
all, Eren knew what it felt like. He often blamed himself for the death of his
mother and the death of Levi’s squad even though he knew there was nothing he
could do to change it. He'd made a decision, one he thought he would regret the
least. He couldn’t take it back now.
Levi swallowed thickly, eyes burning with aggrieved tears that did not fall. "I
should have been there, but I listened to Erwin... I should have known then
what kind of man he would turn out to be." he said, voice a strained whisper
and he curled around Eren protectively. Looking back, Erwin had been
responsible for most of Levi's losses; he'd been manipulating the dark-haired
alpha for years, remorseless for driving the younger man to numbness, after
all, with nothing to lose, he was a powerful weapon against their enemies.
There were no weaknesses when you felt nothing. Erwin was willing to hurt Eren
to keep Levi in that state. He wanted to use them both. It was so clear to Levi
now; for Erwin's cause, the commander was willing to breed monsters of his own
to combat the ones outside the walls.
“He can’t take anything else from you,” Eren whispered hoarsely, hand coming up
to cup Levi’s cheek once again, thumb grazing over Levi’s defined jawline
soothingly. “He can’t do that to you anymore; I won’t let him.” Eren knew it
was a stupid promise. Erwin could easily have Eren sent to be executed or even
kill the omega himself if he wanted, but he didn’t want Levi to think about
that. He would do everything he could to keep Erwin from manipulating either of
them ever again.
Levi leaned into the touch, nodding a little. Erwin wanted to take Eren from
him, wanted to destroy what he'd built with the shifter, to leave them both
broken beyond repair; weapons didn't need feelings, were not as powerful with
weaknesses like theirs. He was wrong though. Levi was stronger for having
fallen in love; Eren might be his weakness, but he was also his strength. With
the shifter, there was reason to fight; Levi wanted to live for the future they
could have and he would be as strong as he had to be in order to make that
future a reality.
"I know you won't," he finally said in response, holding Eren close, "I won't
let him hurt us again either. He'll have his victory in the end, but we'll be
the ones living in the sun."
“With our baby," Eren added quietly. "That's a happiness he'll probably never
have." Erwin was so obsessed with his work with humanity, he would never make
the time for an omega or a family. He would be alone, and he would only realize
it when it was too late.
"Yes," Levi agreed, his palm settling over the omega's waist, thumb stroking
with reverent affection along the curve of the baby bump. They would have their
future in the sun; Levi would make sure of it.
"We should get up, brat," he said after a few moments of comfortable quiet
between them. He somehow felt lighter for having told Eren things he hadn't
ever voiced before. It was a feeling he could get used to.
“Mh..” Eren gave a reluctant hum of agreement, nodding. But instead of getting
up, he just pressed himself closer to the alpha and closed his eyes again.
Levi chuckled and gave the omega a light swat to his bare ass. "If we don't,
I'm going to have a hard time keeping my hands to myself... If that happens,
neither one of us will end up leaving this bed all day, brat."
Eren jumped slightly when Levi smacked his ass, but didn’t open his eyes.
“Mh..I would be okay with that,” Eren pointed out. It was getting harder and
harder to get the omega out of bed every morning. “I could live in this bed
with you and I would be happy."
"Don't tempt me," the alpha said, though he gave the boy a squeeze and made no
move to roll out of the warm and comfortable bed, simplu\y revelling in the
lingering scent of the both of them on the rumpled sheets. "When we win the
war, we can spend lazy days in bed and make Hanji watch the brat for us."
“Mh… Maybe not Hanji. I do want our child to come back to us, you know… Alive
and in one piece,” Eren pointed out, hands running down the alpha’s muscled
back. “I don’t wanna get out of bed,” the omega whined. “I’m too pregnant.” He
was barely showing, only a month along; being ‘too pregnant’ probably wasn’t
the best excuse for his laziness.
The alpha chuckled again, “You really think our brat wouldn't be able to take
that lunatic? It's probably more likely the kid will be watching her than the
other way around," his words tapered into a groan of appreciation feeling those
soft hands travelling over the corded muscle of his back and he squeezed the
omega's hip in return. "Tch, too pregnant... Say that to me six months from now
when you can't see your feet anymore brat."
“Will I really not be able to see my feet so soon?” Eren questioned in a bit of
shock. He didn’t really know very many pregnant omegas and he honestly had no
clue how big he would get. He was still so young and so naive.
"Mmh, sure, you think it's gonna stay a little bump like that? It's only got
nine months in there; that's an awful short time to do all that growing, and
that's if it isn't an impatient little shit and arrives on time and not early,"
he murmured, pressing his lips to the omega's collarbone. If he was being
honest, he couldn't wait to see the boy rounded out and waddling, unable to get
up on his feet without assistance. Eren was definitely going to get brattier,
he knew, but he couldn't help, but find the imagery pleasing; Eren would be
adorable.
“What if it stays in there longer than nine months?” Eren suddenly questioned
in worry. “What if... What if it won’t get out of me; what if it stays there
forever and I’m like-- I’m going to be seventeen with a two year old child in
me!” Eren practically yelled, hands coming up to cover his face. A rational
fear would be the baby arriving prematurely or Eren having a hard time during
the birth, but this sudden fear was far from rational.
Levi tried; he really did try to keep his laughter inside, but it bubbled out
in a rumbling sequence of chuckles that shook his body, “That's impossible,
brat,” he managed to say between bouts of breathy laughter, shaking his head
and smiling at the absolute ridiculousness of his omega's thoughts.
Eren's concern was calmed almost immediately by his alpha's response and he
gave Levi a playful shove, trying to hide his own smile. “You don’t know that
for sure. What if I'm pregnant for the rest of our lives?” He grinned
mischievously, still giving Levi playful shoves and hits, which no one else
would dare do to the powerful alpha. If anyone else had done such, even Hanji,
Levi probably would’ve broken all the bones in their body.
The alpha's grin only grew and his eyes glinted dangerously before he rolled
onto the omega, pinning him and digging his fingers against Eren's sides,
tickling the boy under him. "I do know that for sure. Besides, how could I get
you pregnant again if you never give birth to the first brat?"
Eren giggled uncontrollably and squirmed in childlike delight in response to
the feel of Levi’s fingers tickling his sides. Well, actually, he was
technically still a child, even if he was old enough to be impregnated. “You’re
planning on giving me another one?” Eren questioned between his breathless
laughs as he wriggled beneath his alpha.
Levi's fingers stilled against Eren's sides and he blinked, realizing what he'd
said. "I... Well, if you wanted to," he said, voice softer than it had been
moments before, almost nervous with the abruptness of the realization. He would
want more children with Eren; he wanted a family...
Eren smiled, sensing the alpha’s nervousness. “Let’s just focus on the one
we’re getting ready for right now, alright?” Eren said softly, unable to rid
himself of the smile on his lips.
The alpha nodded and smiled in return. "So long as it doesn't decide that it
likes it's current accommodations so much that you live the rest of your life
looking like you swallowed a watermelon," he teased, letting his nerves fade.
Eren hadn't refused the idea of possibly having more children in the future and
that was enough. After all, they had to win a war first before they could ever
really begin that family. This pregnancy had been an accident; a wonderful,
amazing and unexpected accident, but still an accident and it meant they had
even less time to accomplish the things they wanted if they ever hoped to raise
the brat outside the walls.
Eren sighed, reaching up to wrap his arms around Levi’s neck. “And besides,
let’s just hope that there is only one in there,” Eren pointed out
Levi's eyes went wider than Eren had ever seen them; he hadn't thought about
that. It wasn't exactly uncommon for pregnancies to result in more than one
offspring at a time, but he'd just assumed it would be the one. Then again,
Eren was already showing and he was hardly more than a month into it. "You
think...?" he questioned, brows pinched together, tone incredulous.
“H-huh? I was just... Joking. Don’t go on getting me worried about that now,”
Eren warned, brows furrowing. “There’s got to be only one, Levi. I don’t think
I could manage more than that."
"You're the one that brought it up brat... I hadn't even considered that
possibility until you said it," he worried his lip between his teeth a moment,
"You are already showing quite a bit so early on... Maybe Hanji can find out,
make sure it really is just one in there."
"How can Hanji know? She can't see through skin," observed Eren. "Maybe I'm
just showing early because you spoil me with treats so much."
"Oh sure, blame it on me for being a good alpha," he scoffed lightly, squeezing
his hands against the softening curves of the omega's sides, the warm affection
returning to his gaze and he leaned forward over the still naked boy to nip at
a rather tempting nipple as punishment.
"You're too good to me... You must be a terrible alpha for feeding me and our
unborn baby," Eren replied sarcastically, yelping when the alpha's teeth teased
his nipple unexpectedly.
Levi's chuckle was muffled against the dampened skin, his tongue flicking over
the peaked nub before he pulled back to look back up at Eren, "I'll show you
how terrible I can be brat. Keep it up and you won't be able to train at all
today on account of not being able to walk," he threatened, only half joking,
eyes glinting playfully.
"I wish," Eren snorted. "If the higher ups wouldn't get suspicious, I would be
up for that," he replied, looking over at the clock on the wall. "We're going
to be late..."
The older man groaned, dropping his head onto the boy's chest a moment before
he rolled off of him once again. He pulled himself from the bed reluctantly and
glanced at the clock as well. "Shit... We're not even going to have time for a
bath."
Eren groaned as well, sitting up with some effort. "I don't know about you, but
I'm taking a bath. I can be late and then you can pretend to yell at me,"
argued Eren, standing up and heading to the bathroom without another word.
Levi rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath about spoiled brats with
distracting asses as the omega disappeared into their shared bathroom. He went
to the kitchenette and wiped himself down with a damp rag, tossing it in the
laundry before he was dressing in his uniform with well-practised speed and
efficiency. He slipped his boots on and ran a hand through his rather messy
hair, trying to smooth the strands before he went into the bathroom to press a
kiss to Eren's mouth.
"Don't be too long, brat. I don't want to make you run laps. I love you," he
said before he was straightening and heading for the door.
Eren smiled as he watched Levi exit the bathroom and then exit their room. The
omega took his time finishing up his bath, then promptly dried off and got
dressed, again wearing one of Levi's shirts. The omega slipped on his 3DMG
straps which were becoming a bit tight, but not terribly so, before he left the
room and joined the other cadets, and he was only about ten minutes late since
he skipped breakfast, though Levi didn't like it when Eren skipped any meals
since he thought it was bad for the baby. But he figured the midnight snack was
enough to hold him over until lunch.
 
***** Half-Hearted *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Levi had arrived on the field later than all the cadets, except for his mate,
and every one of the brats was whispering when they caught sight of him,
especially being that his omega was not with him. He gave them a dark glare,
silencing them and forcing them to avert their curious eyes before he was
barking orders for morning stretches, appropriately reprimanding his mate when
the boy showed up, though no matter how believable he tried to make it, he was
sure the corps rumour mill would have a field day with it.
Eren could hear everyone murmuring and snickering when Levi tried his best to
give Eren a good 'talking to,' but obviously they knew he wouldn't be punished.
And despite the fact that this had been going on for weeks, everyone still
stared at Eren while he did his different morning routine off to the side. Many
of them thought it wasn't fair that he was allowed to do less work than them
and they didn't believe the whole 'Eren had an incident while being
experimented on with Hanji and needs to take it easy.' They thought it was just
favouritism despite the fact they'd seen Eren puke doing normal exercises.
The captain was irritated by the time another senior officer came to take over
for him. He spoke to Eren briefly about making sure he ate a big lunch and told
him be would see him that evening. If anything happened and he needed Levi, the
raven would be with Hanji in her office.
He didn't bother knocking as he let himself into the scientist's office,
running fingers through his fringe again in irritation. She greeted him with a
grin and thankfully a cup of tea.
"I saw the Commander this morning," she said, eyes flickering to his healing
knuckles knowingly.
Levi scoffed. "He's lucky all I gave him was a swollen face. He said some
fucked up shit," he replied, flopping into the chair across from her, propping
his left ankle on his right knee, bouncing it idly.
"About you and Eren?" Hanji asked, taking a sip of her own tea as she looked at
the fidgeting alpha. "He's not... The best at realizing what he can and can't
say..."
“About what he did. He's not the least bit sorry that Eren almost killed
himself, Hanji. He doesn't care what kind of destruction he's causing so long
as he can justify it for the cause. He implied it would have better if Eren had
succeeded. How was I supposed to hold back?" He said, frowning as he brought
the steaming tea cup to his mouth, fingertips along the rim, his other hand
resting on his bouncing leg.
"I can't blame you for socking him. I'm surprised you didn't do more," Hanji
agreed. "I don't know what you would've done to him if the baby had actually
died, or Eren," she continued, watching him over the frames of her glasses. "He
had no right to do that, Levi. By the way, aren't you supposed to be training
right now?"
"I would've killed him, life debt or not," he said, holding his teacup on the
armrest of the chair. "I was... I had Nabe take over. How bad has the gossip
gotten?"
"It's... Gotten pretty... Er..." Hanji wasn't sure how to word her response.
"There's been a lot more talk now, and people are starting to suspect since
Eren's gaining weight," she finally replied
"Fuck... He is starting to show, too... Is that normal this early? What about
word on the Military Police?" He questioned, rubbing the hand previously
resting on his leg over his face and through his hair again.
"It's normal as long as he's been eating well, which I'm sure he has been. He
might just be an early bloomer. After all, he is skinny. Any changes in his
body are probably more noticeable," the scientist pointed out, clearly
unconcerned over the quick progression.
Levi nodded, "It's going to be impossible to hide it soon at this rate, but I
can't just stop feeding him." His words were mumbled. He probably could stand
to refuse the odd midnight cravings, but his instincts made it near impossible
when his pregnant mate was demanding his alpha provide for him. And it didn't
help that the boy looked so satisfied every time Levi managed to deliver the
demanded items, bizarre as some of them were.
"He's not overweight or anything; he's far from it," Hanji laughed. "He should
be eating well, you know they don't give the soldiers nearly enough to eat
these days."
"Tch, that's an understatement. Food shortage my ass. Those lazy, fat fucks in
the capital are just greedy. I've been to their banquets," he sighed
disgustedly before finishing off his cup of tea and leaning to set it on the
overcrowded mess of her desk.
"I know he's not overweight... He's fucking perfect, but if he gets any bigger
any faster, he's going to have to go on leave. It's going to be a clusterfuck."
"Well like you said, you can't just stop feeding him," the scientist replied
idly, "What's more important, his and the baby's health, or hiding his
pregnancy just a bit longer to avoid the hassle of the MP?" Hanji questioned.
"When he has to, he can start wearing his jacket and his cape to hide it."
Though it was so warm out already; it might be impractical and cause the
rumours to escalate.
"Of course the both of them are more important; they're the most important. I
don't give a shit about the MP, though they will certainly make themselves a
pain in my ass and hopefully in Erwin's, but the whole corps is going to be in
a damn uproar." He paused for several seconds.
“And the brat's not going to like it," he sighed heavily, worry leaking into
the agitated tone. He didn't want any more stress being put on his mate, even
if the boy seemed to think he could handle it. If the alpha had his way, Eren
would already be on leave.
"I know..." Hanji replied. "I don't know what we're going to do, but we need to
make sure things don't get too chaotic for Eren, especially as the pregnancy
progresses. The less stress, the better," she explained. "Right now is even
dangerous for him. I still don't know how his body is going to fair with the
pregnancy and the stress, it would be better if he wasn't even training at all
right now, at least until I have a better idea."
Levi's head dropped back to glare at the ceiling, which had some very odd spots
of discoloration that he'd rather not identify considering the office's main
occupant, and blew his breath out harshly. "I'd rather he wasn't either, but
he's a stubborn little shit. You know, this would all have been so much easier
if Erwin wasn't being such a prick." He inhaled a deep breath through his nose
and let it out calmly. "Have you heard anything else about what's going on in
the capital? I'd go myself, but I can't bring Eren with me and there's no
chance in hell I'm leaving him here without me."
"I haven't heard much. There's a rumour, some officials are thinking about
visiting soon, but I'll let you know when they do. You can keep Eren up in your
room and I'll tell them that it's because I've been experimenting on him. I'll
assure them he's not pregnant, and that should buy us some time..." She could
get in serious trouble for lying to them, but she didn't care; she was too fond
of the mismatched pair to not cover for them. "I know you don't like to keep
secrets from Eren, but I think it'd be best if you don't tell him that they're
getting suspicious. I don't want to risk him losing the baby; it's still early
on in the pregnancy and he could miscarry on his own if he gets stressed out
again. We were fortunate before." Hanji, like Levi and Eren, loved the baby. It
wasn't hers, but she still loved it all the same.
The alpha looked back at the scientist, nodding, "I've managed to keep most of
this shit from him so far. After what happened... Fuck, I don't know if I could
withstand losing it a second time... Erwin still plans to attempt taking back
Shiganshina in three months? There's no way Eren should be there. I don't think
he's realized how soon it actually is and he's going to want to be present..."
"I agree... There's no way he can go in three months. That's much too dangerous
for him. I can't imagine Erwin still expecting Eren to go," Hanji said, shaking
her head. She supposed they may have to talk to him about it soon.
"I wouldn't put it passed him Hanji. He's lost his humanity to the cause," Levi
replied, scowling and shaking his head.
===============================================================================
Back on the field, Eren reluctantly had to take a break. His training regimen
was less than half of what he used to do, but he still had to sit down and take
a break well before the others, which many seemed to be unhappy about.
"Hey Jaeger, you can't just take breaks 'cause your ass is sore," Jean sneered
as he swaggered confidently over to the shifter. It was bullshit, they all knew
it; Eren didn't even look sick.
"That's not why. Hanji did an experiment on me; I'm still recovering," Eren
snapped. "At least I'll recover from the experiment. You won't ever recover
from that horse face of yours." The omega stood up, unafraid of the generally
combative alpha.
Jean growled, hackles immediately raised at the insufferable nickname. "That's
a fucking lie and we all know it. The captain's just playing favourites. We
can't all suck his cock as well as you, yeah?"
"He's not playing favourites to anyone!" Eren argued irately. "You only think
he's playing favorites because he hates you. Because you're obnoxious," Eren
growled, shoving Jean away from him roughly.
"Tch, yeah right. Is that why you're all covered in love bites? He didn't even
make you run laps for being late this morning. Why were you late this morning,
hm? The captain was pretty late too. Kinda suspicious, don't you think? You
can't just sit on his dick every time you want a day off. Just 'cause you're
his bitch doesn't mean you get to slack off whenever you feel like it while the
rest of us are run into the fucking ground." The alpha's tone was bitter and
taunting and he was more than happy to shove the other boy back in retaliation,
lording his couple inches of extra height over him, sneering when Eren's body
didn't stumble as far as he'd expected. "Seems like he's feeding you real well
too, huh? You keep slacking off, you'll be too fat to fight. Didn't figure the
captain was into that kinda thing."
There were snickers and whispers from the slowly growing crowd of recruits that
were gathering to watch the spectacle and Jean puffed out his chest cockily.
He'd show the omega his place. Jaeger was getting overconfident, having the
captain for a mate. He wasn't even spending much time with his comrades, always
running off to play with his alpha like a bitch in heat. It pissed Jean off and
he wasn't the only one. Everybody knew the shifter was living in the captain's
quarters, sleeping in soft sheets and lounging in the private bath, eating
whatever he wanted while they all had to sleep on hard barrack mattresses and
eat the shitty rations. The omega was even wearing the raven alpha's shirt.
"I'm not getting fat," Eren growled lowly, clenching his fists and not
hesitating to throw a punch at Jean when the alpha pushed him, his fist
colliding with the alpha's cheekbone without hesitation, causing Jean to
stumble back and hiss in pain.
"Fucking bitch!" The two-toned alpha cursed, steadying himself and rubbing his
hand over his throbbing cheek. He snarled, the scent of his anger spreading
musky and heavy in the air, trying to impress his dominance on the omega. He
dropped his hand, crouching a bit. Before he was tackling the other boy, intent
on pinning him to the ground. There were jeers and whistles, the other cadets
providing all the encouragement the young alpha needed in order to forget just
who's omega he was currently trying to injure and dominate.
Eren cried out, immediately furrowing his brows and snarling, trying to push
the alpha off him, but he was much too heavy. He blindly began hitting at the
other boy, trying to get his hands on anything he could grab, but Jean was
doing the same and before Eren knew it, he had a bloody nose, crimson fluid
gushing down his face and into his mouth, but he didn't care. He'd had his arms
and legs cut off; a bloody nose was nothing to pussy out over.
Jean's jaw seared with pain and he spit blood onto the grass next to him,
grabbing at Eren's hands with a bruising grip and forcing them to the ground,
pinning them beneath the heavy press of his knees to stop the flailing hits
against him and loomed over the still struggling and snarling omega. His grin
was vicious, especially with the blood staining against the white of his teeth.
"What's the matter, Jaeger, losing your touch? S'what you get for slacking off.
Or maybe you like getting pinned now, hn? Bet the captain keeps you all chained
up when he fucks you... Wouldn't want you to Titan out and bite his dick off or
something..." He murmured low and scathing, basking in his victory as the group
around them laughed and shouted their encouragement and insults at the pair.
"Call out for him... I dare you. Call out for your alpha to come save you,
bitch..."
Eren growled a low whine, holding back tears at Jean's words because he did
want to call out for Levi. He felt threatened and he knew he was putting their
baby in danger and his hormones were making him so emotional. "I don't need
him, he's not my alpha," Eren hissed the lie between his teeth, trying to drown
out the sounds of the jeering soldiers. "Get the fuck off me!" He yelled,
managing to slide his knee between Jean's legs and knee him right in the balls.
The alpha snarled in pained anger, dislodged from his place on top of the
omega. He was shaking and his scent was even more pissed off, riled further by
the aggressive scents of the other soldiers around them. He bared his teeth and
swiped his arm across the dribble of bloodied saliva that trailed down his
chin, cracking his neck, "If he's not your alpha, then he must just have a big
cock to keep a slutty omega like you coming back to his bed every night. And if
that's the case, my dick's pretty big, you want to give it a taste? Only seems
fair since you're giving it up for the captain. Ahh, but I can't promise you
won't have to run laps or actually work," he spat maliciously, fists balled at
the ready, fully expecting and relying on the omega's well-known temper to have
the other boy run right into the blows he was prepared to deal.
The brunette scrambled to get to his feet, immediately running at the older boy
to try and tackle him to the ground, but he was caught off guard when Jean's
fist collided with his abdomen. He expected excruciating pain, but was met with
something much different. His stomach hardened, crystals ripping through his
shirt as Jean's hand collided with the omega's stomach, a sickening crack
sounding through the air just before both the omega and the alpha were sent to
the ground from the force of the impact.
Eren stumbled backwards and fell flat on his back, grimacing as he did so, and
he lay there sprawled and panting, not entirely sure what had happened.
Levi and Hanji's conversation had been interrupted by the sound of shouts and
pounding steps running down the corridor outside the office towards the
courtyard, excited and aggressive scents filling the general vicinity. The
alpha looked at the beta and they both stood at the same time, pace quickening
down the hall to see what the ruckus was all about and Levi couldn't quell the
sudden and intense coldness of dread that spread in his gut. He just knew it
had something to do with his mate. Hanji seemed to agree.
The intensity of Levi's dominating scent sent the onlookers scrambling out of
the alpha's way as he stormed into the middle of the crowd just in time to see
the two boys collide and go down. Hanji let out a cry and Levi's scent grew
more aggressive, teeth bared in a snarl as he stalked over to the two downed
teens. He badly wanted to pummel the younger alpha that had clearly been
attacking his mate, but the brutal worry for Eren and their baby took
precedence over destroying the horse faced kid. Hanji moved to Kirstein,
allowing Levi his space to check over his mate, well aware that he would let no
one near him until he'd been able to check him over himself.
The alpha was next to Eren in seconds, kneeling on the ground while the
scientist tended to a moaning and sobbing Jean who's hand was badly broken in a
most unexpected manner.
"Eren, are you-- What the fuck?" The alpha spoke in a low gravelly tone,
concerned words turning to confused shock. His right hand settled on the solid
opalescent crystal layered on the boy's belly beneath the tattered hem of his
borrowed shirt, the crystal immediately beginning to fade under his touch. Levi
managed to reign in his surprise, replacing it with anger. He ripped his jacket
off his shoulders and wrapped it around Eren to hide his abdomen from view. His
eyes were dark as he looked at the boy's face, "I told you to come to me if
anything happened... What the fuck were you thinking, stupid brat!?" He hissed,
made more angry by the fear he'd felt. The shifter was so damn lucky.
Eren panted, looking up at Levi before he wiped the blood away from his nose,
sitting up. He noticed anyone who wasn't staring at Jean was staring at them,
and the omega felt himself shaking, chills of anxiety radiating through his
body. "I don't need you to protect me, Captain, I'm fine!" He said loud enough
for everyone to hear.
"The fuck you don't!" Levi growled, still intensely upset at his mate's
carelessness. He was shaking, muscles tensed and adrenaline pumping through his
bloodstream like quicksilver. "I told you... I fucking told you not to do this
to me again, you shitty brat..." He murmured out coarsely, his scent still
heavily clouding the air and keeping the gawkers a safe distance from the two
of them. He yanked Eren against him harshly, scenting him with vicious
intensity, irritated and unbalanced by the scent of another alpha on his mate
along with the bittersweet copper of Eren's blood. The gesture was desperate
and ungentle, but he couldn't control it, his arms refusing to release the boy
from his too tight embrace, uncaring of the protests and the stares leveled on
them.
Eren's eyes widened a fraction before he immediately squeezed them shut in
embarrassment, the omega starting to shake as the tears he'd been holding back
finally came. He was completely mortified as everyone began gasping and
giggling at the captain's actions and yelling about how it was true that Eren
was Levi's bitch, and on top of it, the omega felt guilty about fighting with
Jean and putting the baby in danger. He felt so helpless and completely
humiliated.
Levi's eyes flashed and he snarled dangerously over his shoulder at the
chittering group, silencing them immediately, cowed by the alpha's anger and
scent flaring in warning. He threaded fingers through the back of Eren's hair
and pressed the omega's face to his chest, understanding Eren's distress and
humiliation. He shushed him quietly.
"He broke my hand!" Jean was screaming and sobbing at the top of his lungs as
Hanji tried to calm him so she could stabilize his hand enough to move him to
the infirmary.
Eren was letting the alpha hold him, but wasn't showing any kind of affection
back, just staying limp against the man as steam rose from his nose in lazy
wisps. He just wanted to get out of here, but he couldn't bring himself to run
away.
The dark-haired captain was disturbed by the lack of response from his mate and
turned his narrowed gaze back to the onlookers. "If you all have time to be
standing about, there are chores to be done. Get a fucking move on! Anyone not
gone in the next ten seconds will run death laps until dawn!" He barked out
harshly, dominance stirring in the air leaving no room for argument, the
soldiers practically tripping over themselves and each other to get out of the
captain's sight.
Hanji was leading the simpering, whiny alpha away to her office, casting Levi a
meaningful look over her shoulder. They would need to talk again; whatever had
taken place needed to be examined further.
"They're gone... Stop shutting me out brat," he spoke quietly into the boy's
hair, still holding Eren tight against him.
Eren hesitated for a moment before he suddenly yanked himself away from the
alpha, a hurt look on his face as he pushed Levi away. "Stop it! Don't touch
me!" He hissed as tears dribbled down his cheeks, still holding the coat tight
over his abdomen as he spoke. He felt betrayed even though he knew it wasn't
Levi's fault.
Levi's brows pinched together, furrowed with apprehension and his jaw twitched,
teeth clenching. He let the boy go and sat back on his ass, legs spread and
bent at the knees, booted feet planted on the grass, his elbows resting on them
in defeat.
"Fine..." He gritted out lowly, his own hurt threading into the tone, and the
instinct to comfort his mate battling his desire to respect Eren's wishes,
tearing him up inside.
Eren somehow felt angered even more by Levi's response despite the fact the
alpha had complied with his demands. He gritted his teeth, baring them in
warning before he scrambled to his feet. "You don't understand, you just
don't." He turned around, not walking away, but running away like the child
that he was.
Levi cursed and was on his feet in an instant, stalking after the omega,
following his scent when he lost sight of him, unwilling to run in spite of his
need to keep track of his distraught mate. Even so, his pace was quicker than
his usual and he repeatedly carded pale, shaky fingers through his disheveled
raven locks, frustration and stress making him unable to control the
compulsion.
Eren ran for several minutes, too tired and too queasy from all the stress to
run any longer. He ran until he reached the stables, letting out shuddering
pants as he wiped at his tears roughly with the sleeve of Levi's shirt,
entering the stable containing Levi's horse. He walked in, shutting the gate
behind him before he leaned against the wall, sinking down until his knees were
to his chest, face buried in his arms as the horse made breathy huffs of
confusion at the distraught omega.
The alpha hesitated outside the stable, pacing back and forth. He could smell
Eren inside and was caught hovering with indecision. The boy demanded space,
but his scent called for comfort. He growled under his breath, tugging on the
strands of his hair, stressed and losing patience with himself.
"Fuck it..." He huffed finally and resolutely let himself into the stable,
making his way to the stall he knew without a doubt his omega would be in.
"Eren..." He called quietly, stepping inside, but keeping his distance, fingers
twitching with the desire to touch and he had to force down the croon that
desperately clawed it's way up his throat.
Eren didn't pull his face out of his arms, motionless as he began to speak.
"You don't get it, I don't expect you to," he whispered, shaking his head as he
did.
Levi crouched down, sitting on his heels, hands curled on his thighs to keep
from reaching out. "Then make me understand," he replied in the same soft,
strained tone.
"You're Captain Levi Ackerman, the famous 'Humanity's Strongest.' How could you
possibly understand?" Eren whispered, picking his head up to reveal his red
eyes, still wet with tears. "You don't know the things people say to me, you
don't understand what it's like to be your bitch," Eren hissed through gritted
teeth, beginning to shake once more.
Levi pursed his lips and bit the inside of his cheek until it stung, closing
his eyes and breathing deeply through his nose, "I'm sorry... I can't control
the things they say out of envy, Eren. Is that what you believe I think?" He
finally replied after several long seconds of silence. He hadn't realized how
bad the bullying had gotten, how much it was affecting the boy.
"No..." Eren whispered. "They say you only want me for sex and I don't believe
them, but I... It still hurts," the omega admitted. "They make me feel so
worthless. They make me feel like there's no point in me even being here
anymore," he whispered, hugging himself tightly.
Levi's breath hitched, "Don't say that... I don't... If you weren't here... I'm
so sorry, I don't know how to fix this Eren. You aren't weak or worthless. How
many of their lives have you saved; how many close calls have they escaped
because of you? They're jealous. They envy you because you've touched the
untouchable... Remember what I said about titles?" He paused for a long second.
"I've never been a man to them Eren. I'm strong and good with a blade, but cold
and heartless... How can any of them know what you know? To them you may be
my... Bitch... But to me, you're my heart."
Eren ran a hand through his hair in frustration, dropping his head back down
onto his arms. "I don't know how much longer I can do this," he admitted, voice
cracking as he broke into sobs. They were quiet and defeated, but desperate at
the same time. He was too young to ignore the bullying; he wasn't as wise as
Levi. To the fifteen year old omega, being an outcast and constantly having the
others taunt you for being both a 'Bitch' and a monster; it wasn't something he
could handle right now, especially in his condition.
“Then what do you want to do?" Levi asked so quietly it was barely more than a
whisper. He would do whatever he needed to to make his mate feel better, to
correct the injustices being committed against him, but he needed Eren to tell
him how. He shifted closer to the boy's curled form, but still did not touch
him. He inhaled a deep breath. "Do you want to know my most hurtful title?
There are very few that know it or use it, but it's painful every time."
Eren sniffed, barely peeking up from his arms as he looked at Levi before
giving a slight nod out of curiosity. He felt like a son being talked to by his
father after having his lunch stolen at school by bullies or something close to
that, but it was comforting in the same way.
Levi watched him with soft silver eyes, head tilting a little, "Bastard." He
said simply, tone still quiet and he didn't elaborate immediately, seating
himself across from the omega much as he had in the field, the toes of his
booted feet inches from Eren's, his fingers dangling between his spread knees.
"Because my mother was titled a whore..."
Eren looked up with half-widened eyes, hesitating for a moment as he took in
the information. "I... Didn't know," he whispered, voice hoarse as his face
fell even more at the thought of people hurting his alpha with those words.
"I'm sorry..." And he meant it, slowly reaching over to take one of Levi's
dangling hands. "You didn't deserve to be called that."
"It doesn't hurt me because they call me that, Eren... It hurts because it's
insulting to the memory of my mother. They titled him a whore, a bitch,
inhuman, something to be used up and thrown away like garbage... I was a
product of hate, Eren, a bastard son to some official that paid a pimp a great
deal that could never have been enough to take my mother during his heat, to
demean him and take his worth away. Even so, my mother never hated me. He cared
for me like I was the only thing that mattered to him. My mother was beautiful
and fierce and strong, not unlike you. My mother is not a whore to me, but
simply my mother and I'm not a bastard because my mother loved me enough in
place of a father I never needed." His fingers weaved between Eren's and
squeezed a little, still watching the boy as his low voice echoed in the air
between them.
“I don’t think I’m as strong as you or your mother,” Eren whispered shakily,
looking down again. “I can’t handle the things they say, I don’t know why,” he
whispered, fingers tightening around Levi’s. “I’m afraid to face them again
after what’s happened. I can’t listen to their voices again and I can’t listen
to them talking about what happened, Levi, I’m not strong enough,” he repeated,
hand shaking in Levi’s. He didn’t know how Levi could handle such words about
himself and his mother without getting so angry and overwhelmed.
Levi gave the omega's hand a squeeze and tugged a little, opening his arms in
offer to hold him. "But you are strong Eren. None of those brats, not a single
one of them could be you. You've taken on so much responsibility. You've seen
more pain than over half of them. Are their words harder to bear than that? You
are so so much stronger than you could possibly know brat, but you will. After
all, you'd have to be strong to be my heart, don't you think?" He smiled a soft
sincere smile.
Eren slowly brought his knees down from his chest, crawling forward to settle
himself between Levi's legs and against the man's chest, his own legs draped
over one of Levi's as he wrapped his arms around his alpha's torso. "I don't
know," he whispered honestly. "I don't know why, I just can't... I can't stand
what they say, and I can't stand the fact that you're disappointed in me for
what happened back there," he continued, eyes downcast in shame. "I don't like
the things people think about me." Eren had never been one to care for others'
opinions, even after he'd became a Titan, he'd been good at ignoring the
murmurs behind his back. But now, ever since he'd lost touch with nearly every
single one of his friends because of his relationship with Levi, he felt
lonely. He felt vulnerable.
"It's okay, brat... I'm not disappointed. I was just afraid... You make me both
strong and weak, Eren. I love you for being determined and headstrong and
opinionated, but sometimes I'm afraid... If I'm not there to watch your back...
I know you've become estranged from your friends, but they'll come around.
You'll see. Even families fight sometimes. Let me be your strength when you're
vulnerable, like you are for me..."
Eren closed his eyes, shuddering as he sunk deeper into Levi's chest. "I
already burden you with so much. You don't need to deal with stupid things like
Jean and my friends; it doesn't matter," Eren murmured. "There's no point in
hoping. After they find out I'm pregnant, there's no way they'll forgive me."
"Eren... I promise you, the ones that matter will. And the ones that don't
aren't worth your regret. And you aren't my burden; you're my saviour.
Everything that matters to you, matters to me..." He said with tender
conviction, hugging the boy to him. He couldn't even care about how dirty they
were getting or the disgusting smell of horses.
Eren hugged himself closer to Levi as the man's grip tightened around him. "You
think Armin and Mikasa will start talking to me again?" Eren asked, barely
audible, muffled as it was.
Levi leaned his cheek on the top of Eren's head, nodding. "Yes, I think they
will. But I doubt I'll be getting either of their approval any time soon..." He
hummed out, giving the boy another squeeze.
"Maybe Armin; he's a lot more lenient and reasonable than Mikasa," Eren
mumbled, fingers curling into the back of Levi's shirt. "I... Maybe I should
train privately for a few days."
"Hm, if that's what you want, brat. I'll have Hanji keep an eye on you. Less
gossip that way... She's going to want to know what happened back there," Levi
agreed easily. If Eren wanted to train away from the other recruits a few days,
he'd arrange it. He couldn't care less about what the little shits had to say
about him, but they were going to learn respect for his mate.
Eren nodded slowly. He felt like an utter coward doing this. He didn't say
anything, closing his eyes as he pressed his face deeper into Levi's chest and
took in his scent. "I'm sorry," he whispered after several excruciatingly long
seconds of silence.
"No more apologies," Levi murmured roughly, hand stroking at the boy's hair and
back soothingly. It was relaxing for the high strung alpha to have Eren in his
arms. It was so hard when the stubborn omega shied away from his touch, almost
unbearable. He buried his nose against Eren's hair and inhaled deeply. "We
should go change into fresh clothes," he intoned quietly after another moment
or two.
In the back of his head, he wondered about how differently Eren would be
treated once the other soldiers realized just why it was that the omega was
only doing light training. Most alphas had heavy instincts to protect pregnant
omegas and god help him when Mikasa decided to give her brother her
forgiveness. He wondered how angry the incessant coddling from his real friends
would make his mate.
Eren nodded once, pulling his face out of Levi's chest so he could sit up,
sniffling as he did. "Yeah..." He whispered, slowly pulling himself up and
stumbling a bit, legs asleep from sitting on the floor so long.
Levi got to his feet as well, steadying his pregnant mate with a hand at the
small of his back before he was leading them out of the stable and back to
their quarters where he ran another bath for them both and offered the boy a
massage to relax him before Hanji appeared at their door.
His alpha had just offered him a massage, one Eren very well needed and just as
they were about to get in the bath, too. But of course, Hanji had to show up.
Levi only had a towel wrapped around his waist and Eren had a towel wrapped
around himself like a dress since they were just about to get in the bath and
thank god they even had that bit of modesty.
"How is everything?" Hanji asked as she entered, walking past Levi without
permission and taking a seat on the bed next to Eren.
Levi growled, "You couldn't have waited until after we bathed, shitty glasses?
And we obviously need to have another discussion about knocking before entering
our quarters. We could have been fucking for god's sake." He moved to the other
side of the bed and rifled through the drawers for a night shirt for his mate,
acutely uncomfortable with Eren's state of undress in front of the scientist,
irrational as it was since she had seen Eren naked on several occasions. He
offered the dark, soft cotton shirt to his mate and stood with arms crossed
over his naked chest, narrowed gaze on his friend.
Eren took the shirt, sliding it over his head, but keeping the towel wrapped
around his waist.
"Ah, if you had been fucking, then I would've just come back later," Hanji
assured. "I wanted to talk about what happened. Kirstein's hand is a complete
mess! How did you manage that, Eren?" Hanji questioned, but Eren just shied
away. He didn't want to admit his abilities had kicked in because who knew what
kind of tests Hanji would want to do.
Levi palmed at his face in exasperation, "You're missing the point," he
muttered under his breath, glancing at Eren when he shifted uncomfortably and
refused to answer the scientist.
Hanji had a look on her face that was all dangerous curiosity. Levi caught a
slight movement from the beta, but couldn't act quickly enough to stop her as
she actually attempted to stab Eren's stomach with what he thought was a butter
knife, only to have the metal snap and ricochet from her grip, causing her to
yelp and shake her smarting limb. "Amazing!"
Levi growled low and aggressive, stepping closer to the scientist with
murderous mercury depths glinting, "Have you lost your fucking mind!?"
"Did you just-" Eren stammered in shock, protectively wrapping his arms around
his abdomen. "Hanji! You could've actually stabbed me!"
"But I didn't, your body reacted just like I thought it would. I was expecting
Levi to react quicker, though..." She admitted. "I guess the old age is getting
to him."
"You want to experiment with the afterlife, shitty glasses? I'm not fucking
old, I just thought I could trust you not to try to fucking kill my mate, you
fucking lunatic," he rumbled out gruffly, muscles tensed as he cracked his
knuckles threateningly.
"It wouldn't have killed him, don't worry," Hanji assured. "Maybe would've just
pierced the skin a little. But I knew the crystallization would work!" She
yelled triumphantly.
"Don't... Do that," Eren breathed, calming down from his shock. "It takes all
the energy I have. I've done it twice today," he sighed, running a hand through
his hair tiredly
Levi growled again, reaching to rub strong fingers over the nape of Eren's
neck, massaging out the tension that had accumulated there.
"Great. Now you know, so get the fuck out before I change my mind about leaving
your stupid head attached to your shoulders."
Eren sighed heavily again and closed his eyes as Levi's fingers worked magic on
his tense muscles.
"Come on now, don't kick me out," Hanji begged. "I want to look into this more.
Eren, are you doing this voluntarily or involuntarily? Are you aware you're
doing it?" She questioned intensely.
"Uhm... I don't know," Eren murmured honestly. "Kind of... Both? It's mostly
involuntary, but I suppose I could stop it if I tried hard enough... Maybe."
Though, why would he want to stop protecting his baby?
Levi remained tense, teeth gritted, but he didn't force the woman to leave. She
really was only trying to assist them even if it was for her own perverse
interest as well.
"Why didn't it work before when he was in the dungeon?" Levi found himself
asking, despite the pain the memory brought to the surface.
"There could be a number of reasons. Eren may be able to turn it on and off, or
maybe it was too early for his body to recognize he was pregnant," Hanji
suggested, shrugging.
"Mmn, but his abilities focused on the damage he caused to his womb first, so
it must have known he was pregnant. Could it be because it was self-inflicted?"
The alpha questioned, shifting closer to his mate, but still not seating
himself on the bed on Eren's other side, keeping an eye on the scientist. He
wasn't comfortable not having full view of her after the stunt she had just
pulled.
"Who knows? Eren's abilities have always been a bit unpredictable," she
replied, scratching the back of her head idly.
"Only my stomach has been crystallizing. When Jean punched me in the nose, my
abilities did nothing to stop it," Eren murmured, offering the information
freely as he assumed it might be important somehow. He didn't really want to
talk about it, but he figured the sooner he did, the sooner Hanji would be on
her way and he could get that massage he'd been promised.
Levi couldn't stop the low growl from escaping his throat at the mention of the
other alpha injuring his mate, but cut it off abruptly seconds after it
happened. The horse faced kid was going to get his punishment the next time
Levi was training the brats. If the boy thought he'd been brutal before...
"The baby is the priority, even unconsciously, you must believe the safety of
our child takes precedence over your own," Levi commented instead, ruffling
chocolate locks with affectionate pride. If that was so, he had no doubt that
the shifter would be a wonderful mother.
"I suppose so," Eren whispered, looking away. He still felt guilty about the
fact that he'd tried to... Get rid of the baby. He may be able to protect the
baby from others, but not from himself, apparently.
The alpha brushed the pad of his thumb along the brunette's temple, a soft
croon sounding through the room in response to the spike of bitter regret in
Eren's scent. He wanted to pull the boy into his arms, apologetic for bringing
up the subject in the first place, though they needed to figure out whatever
they could about the unexpected developments with the pregnancy.
Eren gave Levi a watery smile of affection and appreciation for the offered
comfort.
"This could be revolutionary, Eren," Hanji spoke. "Who knows what kind of
abilities you could develop during the pregnancy!"
"Does morning sickness count as an ability?" Eren mumbled under his breath,
rubbing one hand over his belly unconsciously.
Levi let out a breathy chuckle and cupped Eren's cheek lightly, shaking his
head a little, "I think the real skill is eating the weird shit you've been
asking for and actually believing it tastes good, brat."
"It does taste good," Eren argued, making a pouty face by pursing his lips
together, and Hanji just laughed.
The older male couldn't help the smile that flickered over his lips and leaned
in to drop a kiss on the crown of the omega's head, "Whatever you say, brat,
more mushrooms and cream for you, I guess."
Eren rolled his eyes. "You'll make me hungry by talking about it," he murmured.
"And I bet the bath is getting cold." He glared at Hanji.
The raven's lips twitched again, threatening another grin, but he managed to
keep it at bay, silver eyes sparkling with amusement, "I'll get you something
to eat after the bath," he replied lightly before he turned his attention to
the scientist. She was watching their interaction with avid interest, a wide
grin on her face.
Levi scowled at her, "Enough... You heard him, the water's getting cold, so get
the fuck out now, shitty-glasses. And wipe that stupid grin off your face or I
swear I'll do it for you."
"Oh, okay, fine. I doubt you could block my butter knife attack, though," Hanji
pointed out, standing up and straightening her crooked glasses, which just
seemed to fall askew again, the grin still plastered over her mouth in spite of
his threats.
"Goodbye, Hanji," Eren said dismissively in response, and the odd woman walked
toward the door, letting herself out after waving goodbye.
"I hope that massage offer is still on the table," the omega murmured, glancing
at his mate.
Levi just let the smile he'd been holding back spread over his face as he
pulled Eren to his feet. "Of course it is, brat... Any excuse to put my hands
on you," he said, innuendo heavy in the tone as he led the brunette into the
bathroom and wasted no time in dropping his towel to the floor before assisting
his mate with disrobing too, and if he was a little eager in the motions, he
didn't notice.
Eren let the alpha undress him and help him into the tub, seating himself in
between Levi's legs with his back against the man's muscled chest comfortably,
sighing contentedly as the warm water seeped into his body and relaxed him.
The alpha spent the next near hour massaging, lathering and generally spoiling
the omega before quickly cleaning himself up. It was passed lunch when they
were finished and the alpha was redressed in a fresh uniform.
He sat on the edge of the bed, pulling on his boots, "Do you want food now, or
when I get back? There's crackers and apples in the cabinet here if you want to
snack on those for now," he offered. He had a training session in about twenty
minutes and he had every intention of making it there to relieve the pent up
tension from earlier in the satisfying form of torturing cadets that had
thought to insult his boy.
"I'll just wait until you get back," Eren decided, wrapped in towels and one of
Levi's dress shirts as he sat on the bed, legs tucked comfortably beneath him.
"Is there anything you want me to do while you're gone? Anything?" Eren
questioned a bit desperately.
"I want you to relax," the alpha said, leaning over the boy and brushing his
damp hair back from his forehead to press his lips to the soft skin."Why don't
you think of some names you like?"
"N-names...?" Eren stammered. It seemed surreal to him. "Isn't it too early for
names?" He asked in confusion.
Levi shrugged, "It's just something to think about... While you're in here
relaxing... Mmn, or you could read to them," he suggested. He didn't want to
keep calling their baby an 'it'.
"I don't know," Eren hesitated; he felt sort of weird about the prospect of
reading aloud all alone in their quarters. "Can they even hear me so early on?"
"I don't know, but it couldn't hurt. Here," the older male said, pulling open
the bedside drawer and digging through the multitude of bandages kept there to
pull out a worn, leather bound book.
He'd found it months ago on an expedition outside the walls in one of the
ruined buildings and after flipping through the outlandish stories within, had
thought to keep it for Eren, long before the boy had ever become his mate. He'd
never actually managed to gift it to the kid previously, but it seemed
appropriate now.
"What's this?" Eren asked, sitting up a bit in interest and taking the old,
worn book from Levi's hands.
The alpha looked away, embarrassment creeping up, colouring his cheeks a bit
and he ran a hand through his hair, "It's a book of stories... I thought you
might like it..."
Eren flipped it open, eyes scanning across the worn pages of the book, words
and illustrations spilled across the elderly paper. "I do..." Eren said softly,
a smile crossing his lips. "Levi... This is great! Where did you even get
this?" Eren asked in excitement.
Levi shifted on his feet, warmth spreading in his chest in response to his
mate's obvious delight over the gift. "I've had it for a while... Picked it up
during an expedition," he explained, gaze flickering over the smiling boy
before shifting away again.
He'd tucked the book away for Eren, coveting the rare find from the other
officers, especially Hanji, knowing the woman would confiscate it as 'research
material,' though it would no doubt find its way to her personal collection.
He'd never really thought too deeply into why he'd wanted to give it to the
shifter, but now that they were together and he'd realized the feelings he'd
been harbouring for the younger omega, it made so much sense. He was
embarrassed to realize he'd been pining after Eren like a lovesick teenager for
months before they'd become a bonded pair.
"Thank you.." Eren said quietly, still admiring the book. "I'm sure... I know
the baby will love this," he assured the alpha, slipping from the bed and over
to the alpha to wrap his arms around him, his hands rubbing up and down the
man's back.
Levi made a noncommittal sound, unwilling to voice his embarrassment, hugging
the boy back and tilting his head to rub his throat and neck along Eren's,
scenting him with affection. "I need to go, brat. I won't be too long. Take it
easy for the rest of the day. Eat some of the crackers and apples while I'm
gone; there's even marmalade in the cabinet. You shouldn't skip any more meals
today," he chastised lightly, giving the youth a squeeze, "Mmn, do you want
anything specific for dinner?"
"Alright, I'll eat some good snacks. And... Anything you... Want for dinner,"
Eren replied, muffled against Levi's neck. "I won't bother you with my weird
cravings anymore."
"Eren... I was only teasing you about that. I'll get you whatever you want.
Hanji said cravings are a sign the baby needs something specific," the alpha
said, burying his nose behind the boy's ear and planting a kiss there before he
was pulling away. At this rate, he would be late again. Not that he gave a
shit.
"I really want... Eggs, and some of those biscuit muffin things with jam..."
Eren murmured. "I know you might not be able to get that kind of stuff here,
though," he answered, reluctantly letting go of Levi to let the man free to go
to work. At least he had a normal craving for once, not mushrooms and cream...
It seemed he just had very... Lavish cravings now.
Levi cocked his head, mentally noting what Eren asked for and calculating what
it would cost him to acquire the particular items from town. Deciding it would
be worth it, he made plans to send one of the recruits to town to retrieve the
foodstuffs for him. He smirked inwardly; the cadets thought Eren was Levi's
bitch... How wrong they were...
"I'll see what I can do, brat, anything else?" He asked, already on his way to
the door.
"Uh-" Eren bit his lip, shifting uncomfortably. "And pickles," he admitted,
cheeks red as he looked at the older man lingering by the door.
Levi turned away before the omega could catch sight of the grin that quirked on
his lips and hummed his acknowledgement.
"Love you, brats, I'll see you both later," he called over his shoulder as he
stepped out into the corridor.
TBC...
 
***** Heart to Heart *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Levi was in the bathroom, finishing up his usual morning routine. Meanwhile,
Eren was in the living area, standing in front of the mirror as he tried to
buckle the front straps of his 3DMG around his stomach and waist, but they
wouldn’t quite fit. He was so close, but even when he sucked in his stomach, it
still wasn’t enough to get the straps buckled, his bump being much too
prominent and in the way of the tight gear. “Fucking--“ The omega cursed under
his breath. “Get on!” He snapped, trying to will the belts to get just a bit
bigger.
The alpha came to lean in the doorway between the bathroom and main area, arms
crossed loosely over his bare chest, eyes glinting with humour beneath hooded
lids as he watched his pregnant lover struggle for several long moments. He
could feel a smile tugging at his mouth, not even bothering to try and hide it.
It was fucking cute watching the boy try so hard to make the straps fit around
his growing belly. "You need some help, baby?" he asked in a low, husky tone,
his smile underlying the words.
“No, I don’t need-- Help,” Eren gritted out. “I need a bigger size. My straps
shrank, Levi,” the omega said, tone utterly serious as if there could be no
other plausible explanation for the ill-fitting straps.
Levi couldn't help but snicker. "I hate to tell you, brat, but it's not the
straps," he said, not moving from his lax position propped in the door frame.
There was no way the kid was going to get the gear to fit comfortably, which in
the alpha's mind meant it was no longer safe for Eren to be using it. There was
no way he would be letting the omega force his gear on and continue training.
It was about time Eren settled down and took it easy; they were going to have
to bite the bullet and announce the pregnancy soon; suspicions were already
high as it was.
“It’s got to be,” Eren whined, still trying to buckle them, but he knew it was
no use. “They fit yesterday!” Barely, but Levi didn't need to know that. “They
must've gotten switched out with Armin’s or something.”
"Come on, Eren, you have to know it's not the straps. You didn't accidentally
get Arlert's... Even my shirts can't hide it anymore," he replied, shaking his
head, speaking as if he was explaining something to a small child that he knew
was going to throw a tantrum when they understood the subtext. He couldn't keep
the grin from the corner of his lips.
“What... What do you mean by that?” Eren snapped, turning around to face the
older male. “I look perfectly normal, Levi, and you damn well know it. I just
need new straps; these obviously aren't mine! Stop smiling about it; it's not
fucking funny!” Eren nearly yelled.
Levi couldn't help it. He tried to cover the chuckle with his hand, but he
didn't think it worked. Eren looked adorable, red-faced and panting slightly,
eyes bright, his straps hanging loose over a rather tight-seeming and wrinkled
one of Levi's shirts. "You're not getting new straps, love. I don't think you
should be going in the air anymore," he managed, clearing his throat and
desperately trying to smooth out his expression.
“What do you mean ‘not going in the air anymore?’” Eren asked in disbelief.
“You do realize that’s my job as a soldier, right? Or did you forget that I’m
not just-- Just some lazy omega? What do you want me to do, stay here and knit
like some kind of old lady?” Eren scoffed. “I’m getting new straps whether you
like it or not.”
The captain heaved a suffering sigh and rubbed a hand over his face and through
his hair in exasperation. The kid was in total denial. The scent of his alpha
dominance threaded lightly into the air in his frustration. He wanted to laugh
again, but the look on his mate's face was far from amused. "No, you're not.
It's time you went on leave, brat. You're not going to be fighting any Titans
in the condition you're in right now," he said, stepping away from the doorway
finally, dropping his arms to his waist and coming to stand a couple feet from
the boy.
“You-” Eren cut off angrily, gritting his teeth. “You have no right to tell me
what I can and can’t do; you don’t own me.” The omega turned his back to Levi,
continuing to try and buckle his 3DM gear stubbornly.
Levi's brows furrowed and he closed his eyes as he inhaled deeply before
exhaling slowly. He looked back at Eren a second after, "It's not happening,
kid. It'll be too dangerous. You haven't trained to compensate for that kind of
weight. It's safer for you to be grounded for now. Don't make me pull rank on
this," he said finally, choosing his words carefully.
“Pull rank? Pull rank?!” Eren laughed sarcastically. “Are you kidding me right
now? So, what, we’re suddenly not equals anymore? What, am I really your bitch
this time?” Eren scoffed, brows furrowing angrily as he turned to face the man
again.
"Of course not, but you're not thinking clearly right now. If you force me to,
I'll order you on bed rest as your captain with your best interests in mind,"
Levi explained, hiding his wince at his own words. Eren wasn't going to like
that, but the boy was being so damn obstinate when it was so obvious that he
should be staying firmly on the ground for the next few months at least until
their baby was born.
“A-- My best interests?” Eren asked in disbelief. “You being a complete bastard
and ordering me around is in my best interest?” Eren growled nastily.
It took exactly three slow blinks for the insult to register and the subsequent
flare of aggressive scent that filled the air was powerful. Levi tried to reign
it in; Eren didn't mean it, he knew that; the boy was pregnant and
overemotional, but it still hurt. The brat knew what the word meant to Levi and
it was especially painful to hear it come from his mouth.
He growled lowly and his gaze darkened in spite of his best efforts to do
neither. "Are you questioning the orders of your superior officer?" he gritted
dangerously in retaliation, unable to stop the words from falling from his
lips. He didn't want to do this...
“You’re not my superior in our own room!” Eren argued desperately. “What I want
to do with my body is up to me, not you! If you don’t like it then I’ll move
back down to the dungeons,” he threatened. “You can’t use your ‘rank’ on me.
Titles mean nothing and you know that. You're the one that said so!"
"It's damn well up to me when there's a piece of me in there. How are you going
to be fast enough in your gear with the size you are now, Eren? Do you think
I'm going to allow you to fly around and fight up until your fucking water
breaks?!" Levi's voice rose in volume with each word he spoke in retaliation.
The brat was being entirely unreasonable, even going so far as to threaten
leaving him all because he was in denial about being too goddamned pregnant to
be using his maneuver gear anymore.
“Yes, that’s what you’re supposed to allow me to do,” Eren scowled as he spoke.
“What do you mean by, ‘the size I am now?’ Just what the hell are you implying
by that?” Eren questioned, voice cracking with upset.
Levi threw his head back to look up at the ceiling pleadingly, fists clenching
and unclenching in irate frustration. Nothing he said was getting through to
the brat and right now, he felt like every fucking breath he took was offending
the omega. He huffed and rolled his head on his shoulders, "You know what I
fucking meant, brat!" his voice was loud, almost a yell, but not quite, the
tone more like when he was barking orders over the field, like when he was
reprimanding unruly recruits.
“I’m not a brat!” Eren shouted at the alpha, throwing his straps down on the
floor in a petulant show of his own aggravation. “Stop treating me like I’m a
kid!” His eyes were teary as he yelled at the alpha standing before him, fists
clenched and shaking, near hysterics at this point in the escalating argument.
"Then fucking act like an adult! You're throwing a tantrum like a brat right
fucking now," Levi responded angrily, his scent curling around them
aggressively, trying to impress upon the omega in order to just maybe get the
boy to fucking listen to himself for half a second. "You're fucking pregnant,
Eren! What the fuck kind of alpha lets his pregnant mate go outside the fucking
walls to play around with Titans?"
“I don’t play with Titans, Levi,” Eren murmured dangerously. “I’m trying to
keep up with my duties and responsibilities because if I don’t, then the MP
will find us and our baby could die!” he growled desperately. “If I don’t do
what I’m supposed to then I’m putting everyone at risk; you don’t get it!"
"You know what, fine, you won't listen to me, we'll go see Hanji. Maybe she can
talk some fucking sense into that thick head of yours," the alpha growled
through gritted teeth and he whirled around to retrieve his shirt from where it
was laid out on the bed and jerked it over his head. It was always going to
come down to this. They'd been damn lucky so far, but at this point, Eren and
the baby's safety was more important than maintaining secrecy. It was going to
come out sooner or later anyways.
“You can’t make me go anywhere,” Eren blurted out childishly. “I’m not going to
go just because you’re my superior, I’ll only go if I want to go,” Eren argued,
crossing his arms. Now he was just being a hormonal little… Well, a little
bitch, really.
A hollow laugh echoed from Levi's throat, "That's fine too. I'll just go get
her then," he said smugly, yanking his boots onto his feet aggressively.
"You should want to go. Maybe she'll agree with your point of view and you'll
have gotten your way," he continued on in a murmur, fully aware that he was
manipulating Eren, but he needed him to see reason for his sake and the sake of
their unborn child.
“Fine then. I will go. She’ll agree that I’m fine to train for at least the
next four months,” he stated in a matter of fact tone, grabbing his jacket and
tucking it under his arm as he made his way towards the door.
Levi let out a scoff. The brat had lost his god damned mind if he seriously
thought he'd be flying around when he was seven months pregnant! Not even Hanji
would agree to something so absolutely ludicrous. He made to follow the omega,
steps heavy with residual agitation. There was no way the scientist would
disagree with him. Eren needed to stay on the damn ground.
 
Eren swung the door open, met with two pairs of eyes that caught him off guard
and made him stumble backwards in surprise, bumping into Levi as he did so.
The alpha grunted when Eren fell back into him and steadied the boy
automatically, peering around him with a dark expression, which only grew
darker when he saw what had startled the brat in the first place, or rather
who.
"Fucking wonderful..." he grumbled under his breath.
Eren instinctively pushed himself away from Levi once the alpha had steadied
him, eyes flicking between Armin and Mikasa and Levi. He felt surrounded.
“Eren...” Armin whispered, comically wide eyes glued on Eren’s middle.
“I’m going to kill you,” Mikasa addressed Levi, storming past Eren to square up
to the other alpha, lording her couple inches of height over him.
Levi released another of those hollow chuckles. "You'll have to get in line,
sweetheart," he said snidely, narrowing his gaze on the female alpha and
crossing his arms over his chest, his scent flaring up around him
threateningly. This was just great, exactly what he needed right now, more
fucking brats to make his life miserable.
Eren looked at Mikasa when the female alpha threatened his mate. “Mikasa...
This is none of your business. Not yours either, Armin. Just leave us alone,”
he demanded.
“I can’t. Not until I handle him for what he’s put inside you,” Mikasa growled
stubbornly, cracking her knuckles.
"Tch, you're a thousand years too early to handle me, princess," Levi's tone
was taunting without conscious thought as he blinked lazily at the girl, the
look in his eyes daring her to try. He was in no mood to play with the brats
today. He needed to get Eren to Hanji so she could agree with him and shut the
kid up about training and new gear. Then, of course, he was going to be fucking
late to training... Again. “Besides, he wasn't complaining when I was putting
it there," he added as an afterthought, not liking the disapproval in the
younger alpha's defiant tone. Like hell he was going to be pushed around by an
overprotective little girl. His petulance might have a had a little to do with
the rising possessiveness that was welling up inside him and strengthening his
aggression in the air, hackles up in response to the threat of another alpha
that was close with his mate.
“Excuse me?!” Mikasa snarled, brows creasing further as she took a threatening
step toward the older alpha.
Levi jerked his chin up, one brow raising when Mikasa took a step towards him.
He was going to have such a satisfying time putting her in her place if she
dared to raise a hand to him.
“Stop it!” Eren exclaimed. “Both of you just stop it! I’m pregnant, okay? I’m
fucking pregnant and I can’t do anything about it; I’m glad everyone fucking
knows now!” he snapped the last part sarcastically, eyes still brimming with
tears as he pushed past Armin to go out the door.
The captain's gaze shot from the girl to his mate when Eren snapped, his
distressed scent suddenly very obvious to the alpha and he jolted immediately
to follow after the boy. "Damn it..." he cursed under his breath, the concern
for the distraught omega overriding the desire to dominate the other alpha.
This was so not how he had expected his morning to go.
The blonde omega and the ravenette alpha didn’t seem to get the hint, rushing
after Eren and Levi.
“Eren, wait!” Armin called after him. “You can talk to us about this!”
Eren didn’t look behind him, hearing all the footsteps following him, which
just made the omega feel more threatened and he quickened his pace.
Levi growled under his breath and glanced over one shoulder at the two teens
that had taken pursuit after he and his upset mate. "Can't you two take a
fucking hint? You can talk to him once he's calmed down. You are not helping
this fucking situation at the moment," he ground out, gaze flickering between
his retreating mate and the other two youths.
“You don’t know him like I do,” Mikasa defended, still following the two. “What
right do you have to tell me what to do to console my brother?” She sniped.
Levi snarled, "You're right. I know him in a way you can't, so back the fuck
off." He'd rounded on the other alpha. “He's angry right now at me and the both
of you. He thinks you two hate him and are going to hate the baby and your
behaviour right about now isn't going to make him believe otherwise." He barred
their path to keep them from following Eren any further, knowing where exactly
it was he would find his mate once he got the other brats to go the fuck away
for now. Eren would be happy later that his family had forgiven him, but at the
moment, he was entirely blinded by his heightened emotional state. And Levi
needed him stabilized and agreeable to the idea of being grounded before he
could deal with the fact that other people were now in the know.
Eren heard the footsteps stop, but he kept going until he reached Hanji’s
office, swinging the door open and slamming it behind him, not bothering to
knock or greet the startled scientist as he roughly sat himself on the
examination table, hunched back turned towards the beta.
Hanji pushed away from her desk to make her way around to the clearly upset
omega that had just come storming into her office. "Eren, are you alright?" She
asked lightly, crouching a little to catch the boy's eyes, frowning as she saw
the threatening tears. "Oh dear, what's happened?"
“They know,” Eren whispered, voice cracking hoarsely as he spoke. “They know,
Hanji. They know about the baby.”
The beta reached out tentatively to brush strands of soft hair back from the
teen's face. "Who knows, sweetie?" she cooed soothingly. Where the hell was
Levi?
“Armin and Mikasa, and… And probably the whole Scouting Legion by now,” the
omega whispered, dropping his face into his hands. “And now Levi hates me
because I called him something I shouldn’t have, and Armin and Mikasa will
probably never talk to me again."
Hanji gave the distraught brunette a sympathetic look, "Oh come now, Eren, you
know that's not true. Levi could never hate you; that short stack adores you.
And I'm sure your friends do, too. As for everyone finding out; it was bound to
happen sometime. I think you'll be surprised by the reaction you receive. I
don't think it'll be quite what you're expecting," she replied, trying to
comfort the boy as best she could.
“You don’t even know what I said to him. And you don’t even know what he said
to me,” Eren sniffled. “He still sees himself as my superior, like I’m lower
than him. That’s how everyone’s seen me ever since I moved into his quarters.”
Hanji frowned, "That can't be right. Levi sees you as his partner, Eren, not
his property, I know that much. He's always so worried about you. I know he
doesn't always convey it in the best of ways. But I've never seen him so
affected by anyone..."
"I feel like all I am is property," Eren whispered, looking away. "All I am is
a burden and property that no one wants. This pregnancy is becoming a burden to
Levi too, isn't it?”
"I don't think that's how he sees it. Levi is ecstatic about the baby, Eren.
Levi hasn't had a family in a very long time. I think he's just trying really
hard to make it as easy on you as possible. He's just not the best at
expressing himself. Why don't you tell me what happened to make you think all
this? Did the two of you have a fight? Maybe I can help..."
“We got in a fight about-- About me training. He doesn’t want me to train
anymore and when I refused, he kept telling me he was my superior and that I
had to do what he said. I don’t want our relationship to be like that, Hanji,”
Eren's voice broke as tears dripped down his cheeks, and he swiped at them
furiously. “Damn hormones--“ he hissed.
"Hmm," Hanji hummed, tapping a finger against her lips in thought. "Are you
sure he didn't try to explain at all? I'm sure he didn't want to pull rank on
you, but he probably felt like he didn't have a choice. You are a stubborn one.
You're very headstrong for an omega Eren and for Levi it's both frustrating and
challenging to be your alpha. But even so, I know he'd never change you for
anything in the whole world. You know that too. Do you think maybe the both of
you could have handled things better? From what I can see of you, Levi has a
point. I don't think it'd be too safe for you or the baby to be going on any
expeditions," she said levelly, calm and objective.
“What am I supposed to do, just sit in the room all day while Levi does all the
work? Hanji- Everyone will hate me,” Eren argued, shaking his head in defeat.
“I can’t be off the field for over six months.”
"Sweetheart, you're looking at this all wrong. No one is going to hate you.
They don't know the situation yet, but when they do, it will be different,
you'll see. All pregnant soldiers go on leave, Eren. It's policy. How can Levi
make an exception for his omega? Do you know what people will say about him if
he doesn't put you on leave?"
Eren looked up at Hanji, shrugging slightly. “E-Even though I’m a Titan?” he
questioned quietly. “They’d still want me on pregnancy leave?” He didn’t think
anyone would want him treated like a normal person.
“Policy is policy. It's in the military code of conduct. You are a member of
the military; shifter or not, you took the oath like the rest of us. No one can
argue that, even the MP, though they aren't going to be happy about it. This is
why they wanted to keep you unmated, to avoid something like this. Now they'll
have to try underhanded tactics because they've been too lazy..." She said,
eyes glinting. The policy wouldn't stop the military police from kicking up a
stink, but once it spread through the ranks of the corps that the shifter omega
was pregnant with Captain Ackerman's baby, they wouldn't be able to publicly
attack him. That didn't mean they wouldn't resort to more extreme actions,
though.
“But what will I do while I’m on leave? I’ll be utterly useless,” Eren mumbled,
shaking his head. “I can’t just do nothing, Hanji.”
"Actually, I might be able to help you out there. I could use some assistance
here. I can keep an eye on the progress of the pregnancy as well and I bet Levi
will agree that would be beneficial. And you won't be bored, I promise," she
clapped her hands together exuberantly, pleased with her own deductions and
concluding solution. This way, they would all be happy. "And you can still do
some exercises, just different ones from usual. I'll make a specialized plan
for you. You may not be able to fly for now, but you should still be able to
defend yourself, especially in your condition. I bet that would lighten Levi's
worries a great deal."
Eren nodded slowly, coming around to the beta's idea. “Mine too,” he whispered.
After what had happened with Erwin, he wanted to be able to defend himself both
mentally and physically. “So how much shit has Levi been dealing with that he
hasn’t wanted to tell me about?” Eren asked, looking down, but there was a
small, but slightly sad smile of appreciation on his lips.
Hanji tilted her head a little, "Mm, he wouldn't like me to tell you that Eren.
He doesn't want you to worry. We're doing everything we can to be prepared for
the worst. The biggest problem we have is that Erwin refuses to be our ally and
though he hasn't done anything more, Levi is convinced he's an enemy. I can't
blame him for that considering what he did to you Eren. Levi can't forgive him
for that; you mean too much to him, but Erwin would make a powerful ally and an
even more powerful enemy."
Eren nodded slowly, looking up at Hanji. “So… My taking maternity leave would
help Levi, yeah? Ease some of his stress..?” He asked hopefully, though he knew
it would come with a different kind of stress for the alpha.
"Oh, definitely. He's going to have sooo many wrinkles on his forehead before
he's even forty, the poor guy worries so much about you. He wants you to be
happy, Eren, He wants to keep you happy for the rest of his life. I've never
seen him so dedicated and determined. He wants to win the world back for you...
You know he couldn't give a shit about anyone else, but the corps and even
then, that's just camaraderie. You're one special cookie." She paused for
emphasis.
"I bet he'll smile when you tell him you're going to take the leave. Then he'll
scowl a lot when we tell him that I'm making you a very special exercise
routine so you can still attend morning training. If you seem okay with that,
I'll even give permission for light sparring; that's gonna make him growl, but
he can't have everything he wants, right?" She said with a wink and a grin.
Eren nodded slowly, red coming to his cheeks as his arms wrapped around his
stomach. “I love him so much, Hanji,” Eren admitted quietly. “Sometimes I wish
I could give him more. I wish I could protect him like he protects me. I
thought I was protecting him when I tried to get rid of the baby, but I only
hurt him. I…I want to do this, if it’ll make him smile. And I know it’s best
for the baby. And of course the sparring… I can handle,” he said, grinning a
bit at Hanji’s words. “As long as it’s not with Jean, of course.” Though Levi
would probably kill Jean before that would happen.
"Of course. He loves you very much, too, and he needs you to protect the most
important part of him, Eren; his heart. I think it will help if we keep the
sparring omega to omega, how's that sound?" she kept her smile on her face as
she heard the door opening behind her and she knew exactly who it was.
Levi stilled in the doorway, gaze travelling over the pair. Eren looked...
Better. Whatever the scientist had said had had a definite impact, which made
Levi both grateful, yet jealous.
Eren looked up at Levi, giving the alpha a shy, slightly guilty smile.
“I’m glad you agree that you should be on maternity leave, Eren,” Hanji
suddenly spoke with emphasis just to prove to Levi that she had gotten the
omega to agree. “It just took a bit of different wording, now didn’t it?” She
asked, and Eren nodded, eyes still locked with Levi’s.
Levi rubbed his hand through his hair to the back of his neck, giving a
defeated sigh that was also relieved. "I'm sorry, brat, I didn't intend to hurt
you," he said quietly, averting his eyes almost submissively and he shifted on
his feet.
“I did intend to hurt you, with what I said,” Eren whispered. “I’m sorry. I
shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have called you that. I wasn’t thinking. I just got
so emotional and worked up so easily and…Hanji helped me… Get rid of a lot of
that anger,” Eren said, scooting over a bit to invite Levi to sit next to him.
Levi's gaze flicked up when he heard the boy shifting over and warmth flooded
into the silver-blue of his eyes. "It's alright. We were both being stupid," he
said nonchalantly, though the tenseness in his body bled out of him and he
moved to seat himself next to his mate. He reached for one of the omega's
hands, his own pale, calloused fingers threading between the slim, tanned
digits intimately.
"I just want both of you to be safe."
Eren gave Levi’s hand a squeeze, looking up at the man. “We are. I’m going to
stay off the field and away from the action, but I’m not going to lie in our
room all day doing nothing,” Eren explained, looking at Hanji expectantly.
“Eren is going to come work with me during the days,” Hanji elaborated. “And
he’ll still have exercises to do-- Light ones, of course, and a bit of omega on
omega sparring to keep his instincts sharp.”
Levi glanced down at their entwined hands, "I never expected you to stay locked
up in our quarters and take up knitting, brat," he said, leaning against the
younger male. His lips pursed in the expected scowl when Hanji mentioned the
plans she and Eren had made, but looking at his mate, knowing the boy as be
did... He couldn't argue. Eren wouldn't be happy idle and Levi wanted him to be
happy above all else. Levi wouldn't be happy if his mate didn't take it easy;
Hanji had found the compromise that would keep them both content. "Okay, as
long as you know your limits and you listen to what Hanji says."
“I will. Unless she asks me to do something crazy,” Eren murmured.
“I would never,” Hanji snorted. “Speaking of crazy, I don’t want any more
fights like this. I mean, I know Eren’s body is capable of amazing things, but
younger omegas that are with child tend to have more risk for high blood
pressure, which occurs from stress. If you two yell at each other like you did
back there again, you could scare the baby right out of Eren! Well... He’d
probably just faint or cry some more, but I don’t want to take any chances. I
wouldn’t be a good doctor if I didn’t tell you every possible risk.”
The alpha's eyes went very wide. He actually believed what she had said. Early
labour was common with young pregnant omegas. It was a large part of why most
waited until they were older. "Alright, I'll do better to control my temper,"
he promised seriously, turning his wide eyes to his mate, "That means you have
to work things out with the other brats, though. The distance between all of
you is affecting you more than you want to admit."
Eren just rolled his eyes at the exaggeration the beta woman spouted off. Eren
catching on fire while making tea was technically a possible risk, but Hanji
didn't mention that. He nodded vaguely to Levi's words, squeezing the captain's
hand in his again.
"So... You ready to go make up with your friends now? Morning exercises start
in a few minutes. If Hanji gives you some basics for now, do you want to come
join in?" The alpha asked lightly, perfectly happy to let the boy have the day
off if he wanted, but he wouldn't argue if Eren decided he wanted to take part.
“I guess," Eren murmured. "How did you get Armin and Mikasa to leave us alone?
Are they still mad?" Eren asked. He needed to know just how to handle them.
Levi shook his, "They aren't mad, at least not at you. They're worried about
you. They have other strong feelings about me. I had to pull rank and threaten
your damn sister with insubordination." He blew out a sigh and shook his head a
little, standing and offering his mate a hand up.
The omega took Levi's hand without hesitation, letting the alpha assist him to
his feet. "Alright," he replied belatedly. "I'll talk to them... Calmly," he
added as an afterthought, looking at Hanji, and she nodded in approval. "I've
really... Missed having them around..."
"I know you have. I think they've missed you too," the raven said before he
looked at the scientist expectantly. She seemed to catch the meaning and
immediately gave Eren a very quick basic routine of exercises for morning
practice before Levi was tugging his mate out of the office, down the corridor
and out into the sun.
The other cadets were already gathered and haphazardly stretching. A number of
them stopped and stared wide-eyed when the pair arrived, including a number of
Eren's friends who had varying expressions of shock, shame and confusion. Levi
didn't even bother shouting at them, ignoring the whispers that accompanied the
looks when he dropped a kiss on the omega's temple, whispering luck and love to
him before letting go of the boy's hand and marching purposefully towards the
front of the group to begin training for the day. He'd let Eren deal with the
questions his friends would surely have for him; it was about time they all
made up.
The teen took slow, shuffling steps to where Armin and Mikasa stood, not saying
anything as he sat himself down in the grass and began stretching, reaching for
his toes. It was something Hanji said would help in the long run for... Birth.
She explained he should keep himself flexible and as limber as possible for the
eventuality. But that seemed so far away still. "I have to... Uhm," Eren
cleared his throat, looking up at the other two cadets. "I have to do these
stretches, if you guys wanted to help me out with them. I don't know if I'm
doing them right," he lied, unsure what else to say and hoping it was enough to
break the awkward barrier of apprehension that had settled between them.
Armin immediately perked up and stepped closer to the other omega. "Of course!"
He agreed brightly, seating himself next to the brunette and eyeing Mikasa
sternly. She was a little reluctant at first, but after several long seconds,
sat down as well.
"Hey, Eren, um.. Mikasa and I... We owe you an apology for before. We didn't
understand." The petite blonde said quietly, words sincere. Mikasa grunted her
agreement.
"Is that midget really taking good care of you?" She questioned after a second,
ignoring the warning look Armin shot at her.
"He is," Eren assured the raven girl. "He's taking really good care of me. He
gets me anything I want to eat and he makes sure I'm not too stressed out; he
does everything he can," he elaborated. "But I... I owe you guys an apology
too. I should have told you the truth from the start, but I was scared."
"Hmph," the dark haired alpha grunted skeptically, but decided not to argue.
She wasn't going to take his word for it and would keep an eye on the other
raven alpha regardless of what Eren said, but she was happy enough to forgive
Eren for the moment.
Armin smiled brightly at Eren's apology. "It's alright, Eren. It's all water
under the bridge. Um, how long have you known you were... Expecting?"Armin
questioned as Mikasa growled, but didn't comment.
"Two... Two months... Well, a little more than two months, maybe closer to
three," Eren replied, blushing with embarrassment. "I guess I'm showing early,
I feel like I'm more than just a couple months already," he mumbled, "We've
been hiding it to attempt to keep it from reaching the MP."
Armin's eyes were wide with interest, but before he could say anything, Mikasa
interrupted with a snort, "Right... It's probably a big baby. Are you sure it's
that midget's?" She questioned, though it was less malicious than previously.
She didn't really think Eren was the type to be carrying on with more than one
alpha.
Armin actually laughed, "Don't be silly, Mikasa, of course it's the captain's
baby. Actually though, Eren... We've all been wondering, but you know, no one
wanted to ask," the blonde paused, cheeks colouring and he leaned closer to the
other omega to murmur low enough not to be overheard. "How is it with the
captain, you know.. Is he good in bed?" Mikasa made a strangled sound of
disgust, obviously not interested in hearing any sort of answer. She didn't
even want to think about it.
Eren laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair and trying to ignore
the heat in his cheeks and the tips of his ears. "Let's just say, if you saw
the size of what's in his pants, you wouldn't be surprised that I'm pregnant
with a big baby..."
Mikasa's nose wrinkled and she scoffed under her breath while Armin clapped his
hands over his mouth to stifle his giggles, eyes wide and flicking to the short
raven alpha barking orders to their comrades.
"You never can tell, huh?" the blonde said with a cheeky grin, bumping his
shoulder with Eren's playfully. "This is nice. We really missed you, Eren."
"I missed you guys too," Eren admitted quietly, smiling. "I love Levi-- I mean,
the captain, but sometimes we don't have much in common. And uh... By the way,
don't tell him about what I said, about what's in his pants..." The omega
laughed nervously, biting his bottom lip bashfully.
Armin nodded. "He definitely won't hear it from me," he assured and motioned as
if he was zipping his mouth. He looked as if he was going to speak more, but
they were interrupted by a shadow over them.
Jean shifted his weight on his feet, rubbing at the back of his neck sheepishly
and dropping his gaze to the grass when Armin looked up and Mikasa, shot him a
scathing glare.
"Hey, Jaeger... Eren, I uh... I wanted to apologize about before... I didn't
know that you were... You know... We all thought you were getting special
treatment, well I mean you were, but obviously there was a reason. We just
didn't realize, so... Yeah, we're sorry... About saying all that shitty stuff
too..." He stuttered out the words awkwardly, unused to making any sort of
sincere apology, but he felt so guilty now; they all did. They'd been so off
the mark with what they'd thought and the things they'd said about the omega
and their captain.
Eren looked up in surprise, taking a second to realize what Jean was actually
saying to him. "Y-you're... Sorry..?" Eren questioned in utter confusion. "Uh-
- Thank...You," he managed to say. "I'm sorry that I... That I broke your hand.
I didn't mean to."
"Ehh, it's no big deal. It's already healed and I guess I kinda deserved it. If
I'd known you were pregnant, I wouldn't have provoked you. Damn though, you're
some kinda crazy for an omega, you know that?" the taller boy said, his eyes
flickering to Eren's more prominent belly.
Armin looked between Jean and Eren and then his blue eyes widened, meeting the
captain's glare from across the field. Levi obviously wasn't pleased with
Jean's presence, but the blonde omega gave the captain a little nod of
assurance. Mikasa was watching too, tensed in preparation in case Eren and the
other alpha got into another scrap. She may not be all that thrilled about Eren
being mated to Levi or about her brother being pregnant with the other man's
child, especially so young, but she wasn't going to stand for anymore abuse
being thrown at Eren.
"I guess I am," Eren laughed slightly. "I'm... I've done a few things that
pregnant omegas probably shouldn't do, but I guess no harm has been done." He
looked over at Levi, giving him a slight smile
"No shit..." the alpha paused, glancing around as if feeling all the eyes on
the two of them, "Anyways, I just wanted to say sorry and you know, we all have
your back if you need us," he finished awkwardly shifting on his feet,
obviously embarrassed.
Armin smiled and Mikasa grunted satisfaction at the words. They were all
comrades; they couldn't afford anymore discord in the corps, their numbers were
so low already and with the mission to take back Shiganshina in less than a
month, they needed to work twice as hard and keep good team morale.
"Eren... You won't be going on the mission anymore, right?" the ravenette asked
suddenly, concern furrowing her brows.
"I won't be. I'll only be doing light training and helping Hanji out,
unfortunately," Eren sighed. "Right after the baby is born, though, I'll be
back on my feet, you can count on it.”
Armin's brows rose, "The captain's going to let you come back that soon?" he
asked, surprised that any alpha would let their mate reenter active duty right
after giving birth. And of course, Eren might be a little naive about the kind
of toll having the baby would have on his body, regardless of the fact that he
was a shifter with enhanced healing abilities, not to mention the instincts
that were common for new mothers.
"He won't have a choice. I'll be ready to fight again as soon as I have the
baby; it'll be a piece of cake," assured Eren, shrugging idly. Oh, the naivety.
The blonde looked skeptical, "If you say so," was all he said, not wanting to
argue. Eren would find out soon enough. There was a shout for laps and he stood
up, brushing himself off as Mikasa did the same, though she turned to offer her
brother a hand up without a word.
Eren watched as the other soldiers did their rigorous training, and he almost
missed it as he observed them. He definitely missed flying, but maybe not so
much running laps.
 
TBC...
 
***** Heartless *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Chapter Notes
     *Trigger warning for violence, graphic torture, and implied/stated
     non con*
     Sorry Q-Q
Over the next few months, Eren helped Hanji around her lab and continued with
his light training, which got lighter and lighter nearly every week. Some days,
the omega didn't even train at all. While he was in the fifth month, he found
that training had gotten much too hard. He felt exhausted and emotional almost
all of the time and honestly rather queasy and lightheaded, something Hanji
said was normal for an omega of his age and size. The baby didn't appear
abnormally large, but for Eren, skinny as he was, it was still a large load to
carry. Frankly...
Being pregnant sucked.
Of course, he wouldn't give it up for the world, but it still didn't change the
fact that it damn well sucked.
He'd spent the day in bed, not upon Levi's orders, but on his own decision.
There wasn't much for him to do besides read the book of stories out loud to
the baby that he'd already read to the little one at least a hundred times by
now. He hoped it would prompt the baby to move around. He still hadn't felt it
kick and he was getting impatient.
Levi heaved a sigh of relief as he entered their quarters, pulling his boots
off and setting them next to the door before he was peeling his sweat-damp
shirt over his head. It had been a long fucking day. He was tired and it had
been straining to sit in Erwin's office for the last three hours going over
paperwork and plans. They'd been successful in Shiganshina, but it had come at
a dire cost. Their numbers had been halved once again and the MP was pissed off
enough that they refused to send anyone to help with the clean up of the
recovered city despite their demands to be kept in the know about everything
found there. Erwin had been insufferable the entire time, blaming Levi for all
the discord. After all, if Eren had accompanied them on the mission, things
would have gone much more smoothly and quickly, not to mention the casualty
count would no doubt have been lower.
The MP knew about everything now, but aside from off colour remarks and
complaints as well as their refusals to assist, they hadn't made any moves to
remove his omega from the corps. It put Levi on edge. They were planning
something; he knew it, but he had no way of knowing what it was or when they
would finally act.
He ran a hand through his already tousled hair, rubbing at tired eyes. There
was so much to be done still and all he wanted to do was curl up next to Eren
and sleep for a thousand years.
"Hey, brat, how's the baby?" he greeted, managing to give the omega a gentle
smile in spite of his exhaustion. Just seeing Eren tucked into their bed safe
and sound, his now bulging belly protruding from beneath the bedding soothed
the alpha.
"Good," Eren answered quietly, "I think they're enjoying a nice nap... Like
they have been for the past five months." He was a bit annoyed that the baby
wouldn't move. Was Eren not interesting enough for the baby to move around a
bit?
He looked at Levi, sitting up a bit. "Long day?" He asked the alpha, noticing
how ragged he looked, the dark circles beneath his eyes more prominent than
usual, and the slight wrinkles around them and on his forehead seemed deeper
than they had been in previous months.
The alpha hummed, undoing his pants. "You have no idea. I've never wanted to
stay locked up here with you and the brat more. The military police are fucking
useless and Erwin is still being a little bitch. Its a fucking shit show."
"I'm sorry," Eren replied sympathetically, scooting over to offer Levi a place
to sit down on his side of the bed. "Still mounds of paperwork to do?" His
hands rested contentedly on the firm roundness of his stomach, fingers gently
rubbing across it, unconscious and affectionate.
Levi took the offered seat and leaned over to place a kiss over the curve of
Eren's distended belly tenderly between the boy's hands before pulling back. He
was in his underwear still and should probably bathe, but he just wanted to sit
and relax with his mate for a few peaceful moments.
"Tch, there's ten more piles for every one we finish. The only good thing is
that there's a huge influx of recruit applications since we were successful
taking Shiganshina. Problem is there are so few senior officers left to train
the brats. Maybe I should sign you up to train them. Brats training brats...
The world is really ending," he replied, tone light at the end in spite of his
words.
Eren reached over, running a hand through Levi's disheveled hair with an air of
familiarity. "Maybe you should train them all. I know how much you love
training new recruits," he said sarcastically, smiling at the man as he
continued to rub his belly with his other hand. "Maybe you should be training
our brat. They won't move barely a muscle."
"Oi, why would he want to? He's living in luxury in there," the alpha said with
a grin, humming in pleasure at the feel of fingers through his hair, the
tension he'd been feeling all day bleeding out of him under his omega's
soothing touch. He slid a hand over Eren's belly, pressing the palm flat over
the prominent curve of flesh as if his mere touch would spark the little life's
interest.
"Oh, so it's a boy now?" Eren questioned, hand falling on top of Levi's as he
shifted a bit to adjust his weight, sighing as he did. "I can't wait until he
starts kicking, but at the same time, I can't imagine how much more sore I'll
be. I couldn't even get out of bed this morning except to go puke."
Levi shrugged, "Maybe it is a boy. If it was a girl, she'd probably be doing
cartwheels on your bladder just to fuck with you," the alpha said, rubbing his
hand in slow smooth circles over his mate's belly and he leaned over to press
his face against Eren's neck, inhaling deeply. "You'll complain more when
they're born and you get no peace at all. We all know how much you like your
beauty sleep..."
"Beauty sleep?" Eren laughed, "Why is it beauty sleep? I thought I was just
getting regular sleep." He didn't want to admit that he'd actually spent most
of that day sleeping when he wasn't in the bathroom losing his breakfast and
lunch.
Levi glanced sidelong at the omega, eyes glinting with warm affection,
"Obviously because you're beautiful, brat. Quit fishing," he teased, bumping
his shoulder against the teen's, a smile curving pale lips attractively.
Eren laughed again, giving Levi a playful shove in return. "Are you kidding?
Have you seen me today?" He questioned. "I look like I swallowed a watermelon
and my hair is completely crazy." It was true; his hair was messier than usual
from sleeping for a majority of his day.
The alpha ran his other hand through the boy's messy hair, looking him over
critically, "Mm, yeah... Still gorgeous," his grin widened, showing teeth. The
words were light and teasing, but honest. Eren was only getting lovelier by the
day in the alpha's opinion. He nudged Eren's shoulder with his nose, "And you
smell fucking fantastic..." He hummed out as an afterthought, soaking up the
honeyed scent that clung to his mate.
Eren blushed, leaning back into the bed and rolling over a bit to press his
belly into Levi's side, arms wrapping around the man's torso, pulling him down
with him. "Make the baby wake up, I want him to move," Eren whined.
"What do you want me to do, threaten him with death laps?" The alpha questioned
in amusement, stroking his hand down Eren's side, reveling in the softened
curves.
"Just talk to him and touch me, try and get him to move. I bet he likes you
more than me," Eren pointed out.
"Tch, spoiled..." The raven grumbled, but slipped lower on the bed, propping
himself up on one elbow and leaning over the omega's belly, using his other
hand to push the shirt up the shifter's chest and reveal the smooth roundness.
He placed kisses along the surface and trailed his fingers along the side down
to Eren's hip, squeezing lightly. "Your mother wants you to say hello, brat...
He thinks you're too lazy... You don't get that from me," he was speaking
quietly to the mound, breath tickling over the teen's skin.
Eren rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help giggling, shuddering a bit when Levi
squeezed his hip gently. "He's not entirely lazy. He makes the effort to make
me puke at least twice a day and I bet he moves around while I sleep. Maybe
that's why I don't get as much beauty sleep as I used to."
"Well, being awake during all hours of the night is definitely something he
does get from me. And he makes you get up to puke to make sure you get some
exercise," Levi said, gaze flickering up to Eren's face before he turned his
attention back to the lump, "Isn't that right, brat? You don't want your momma
getting too lazy..." He squeezed Eren's hip again, chuckling against the soft
flesh and nipping lightly over it.
“You know, I would be doing more exercise if the baby allowed for it," the
omega defended. he gently pulled Levi's face away from his belly, guiding the
alpha up his body a bit to kiss his lips, arms wrapping around the man's neck
comfortably.
"Mmn," Levi hummed appreciatively into the kiss, breaking it to reply against
the omega's soft lips, "I think I know a good form of exercise... Might even be
able to wake the brat up," he murmured huskily, innuendo heavy in the words and
he nipped at the corner of the boy's lips, fingers sliding up Eren's sides to
his chest, thumbs caressing over sensitive nipples teasingly.
Eren gave a slight smirk, cheeks red as he slid one hand up and down his
alpha's bare, muscled chest. He didn't hesitate to break their kiss, pulling
away from the alpha's lips and leaning forward to press his own to Levi's neck
instead, nipping and sucking at the skin just next to where the scar of Eren's
marking was displayed proudly on the pale flesh.
Levi groaned, tilting his head a bit to give the feisty omega better access to
the milky column of his throat. Fuck, it felt so good to just touch and be
touched by Eren, as if the rest of the world faded away under the press of the
boy's lips. His fingers and thumbs pinched the peaked nipples with light
pressure, rolling them between the digits and he pressed his already growing
erection against Eren's hip, the thickening bulge confined in the cotton of his
undergarments tortuously.
"Mh-h..." Eren let out a slight whine, breath hitching as Levi played with his
sensitive and swollen nipples. He took a shuddering breath against Levi's skin,
taking in his scent as he tried to press himself as close to the alpha as
possible, kissing down his neck and shoulders as he did so.
The older man breathed out heavily, rutting his hips against the boy and
trailing his hands down his torso, caressing over the firm round of his belly
to thumb at fading hipbones, squeezing the plump hips appreciatively, murmuring
encouragement as his mate laved attention over firm muscle and sharp bone.
"Mmn, you seem pretty enthusiastic this evening, brat," he rumbled out lowly,
the heavy scent of his arousal mixing with the lighter smell of his omega's.
Over the past months, they had not gotten to be quite this intimate as often as
Levi might have liked and he was grateful that his boy was clearly as eager for
the contact as he was. Eren hadn't really initiated a lot of the more sexual
intimacy they'd had aside from when he'd been in heat, still too embarrassed
and inexperienced to instigate anything in the off chance that Levi rejected
him, though he did tend to give the alpha subtle cues that he was in the mood,
when he was in the mood, which was sporadic given the fluctuating hormones and
queasiness that accompanied the pregnancy.
"Maybe," Eren breathed, "I missed you today..." His lips brushed against the
alpha's skin as he spoke the sentiment.
"Mmn needy brat," he teased, voice rough and breathy, " I missed you too." And
he had. It was disappointing to not see the bright eyed brunette out on the
field every day, but it made him appreciate coming home to the omega more every
night.
Eren pulled away from Levi's neck to press his lips to the alpha's again.
"Mh... It's lonely here without you. I wish you could've stayed in bed with me
today." He murmured, lips still connected with the raven's as he pushed himself
into Levi's lap clumsily.
"I would have liked nothing more than to stay in bed today too, baby, trust
me," Levi replied, laying back in the bed, holding Eren's hips and rolling his
own up against the press of the boy's backside, his knees bending to plant his
feet against the mattress beneath them and give Eren support against his thighs
if he needed it.
Eren released a breathy moan, leaning back against Levi's legs as both he and
Levi rocked his hips. "Levi," Eren breathed, suddenly starting to get very,
very wet between his thighs.
"Mmn? Feel good love?" The alpha inquired, voice deep and husky as he rocked
them together. He licked his lips as he watched Eren moving, appreciating the
view of his mate sprawled wantonly back against his bent knees. He could feel
the sudden rush of wetness soaking through the omega's bottoms and dampening
the fabric still covering his own member and groaned guttural in his throat
when the scent of it hit him, "Eren..."
"Sorry," the omega murmured huskily, embarrassment washing over him. He was
shaking with arousal and he could smell what it was doing to the alpha beneath
him.
Levi's brow furrowed and his half lidded eyes were warm on his mate, one hand
lifting from its place on the boy's hip to brush reverent fingertips along
Eren's cheek and jaw. "Don't apologize, baby, it's good... You never have to be
embarrassed," he spoke in a husked murmur, hips jerking up a bit of their own
accord. "You're perfect... Don't you feel how bad I want you too?"
Eren nodded vaguely, closing his eyes as he held back his aroused noises. "I
need you," he breathed heavily, legs shaking as he tried to contain himself.
"I've been thinking about you like this all day," he admitted, blush crawling
down his neck and chest in response to the embarrassing confession.
The raven alpha inhaled sharply through his nose, the omega's admission sending
a heady rush of pride and lust through him and making his trapped cock throb.
"S'that so?" He breathed and lifted his hips up off the bed enough the get his
underwear down off his ass, wiggling under Eren to do so until he could kick
the offending garment off entirely before he was back in the position he had
been, fingers playing with Eren's bottoms teasingly and watching the boy writhe
heatedly.
"Take them off," Eren demanded quietly, fingers scratching tentatively over
Levi's chest.
Levi growled harshly and shifted until he could peel the bottoms down,
maneuvering Eren's legs gently one at a time to pry the shorts off him, breath
hitching when the boy's slippery skin slid against his own, aching shaft
slipping between slick cheeks and prodding eagerly at the hot, dripping little
hole hidden there. "Fuck... You're so ready for me..." He gasped roughly, hips
eagerly rutting up against Eren's now bared bottom, hands clamping back onto
the boy's hips with almost bruising force.
Eren gritted his teeth as he let out an involuntary moan, hands falling forward
on Levi's chest for leverage as he rolled his hips for a better taste of
friction.
The alpha watched him hungrily, aiding the desperate rocking motions with his
hands. "Eren, let me hear you, baby... You don't have to hold back," he
pleaded, incredibly turned on by every noise that escaped the boy's reddened
lips. The head of his cock caught on the dip of Eren's entrance with every
rocking thrust and without warning, the alpha's hips pressed upwards roughly to
bury himself inside the searing slick tightness and he hissed harshly.
"Nh-hih!" Eren let out a small cry as Levi entered him without warning, griping
at Levi's shoulders as a string of different moans and cries escaped his lips,
eyes squeezing shut in concentration as the alpha's thickness split him and
stretched him with a familiar burn.
Levi panted and moaned lowly, tossing his head back and arching his back a bit
to press in as deeply as he could, palms sliding up and down Eren's sides
soothingly.
Eren really wasn’t joking when he talked about how big Levi’s member was. It
pressed into Eren snugly, barely fitting fully inside him, but hitting all the
right spots that made the omega pant and moan more than he ever had before,
hormones driving him absolutely crazy.
Levi rolled his hips up into Eren languidly, lifting the boy with every thrust,
muscles straining and tense as he moved. Eren was wild on top of him, writhing
and crying out and it drove the alpha wild in turn, hands groping at his sides
and hips, slippery with sweat and he panted harsh breaths, grunting with
effort, pushing himself to satisfy his omega. The arousal was powerful, mind
numbing and electric on his skin and in their mingling scents and he rocked up
into the almost painfully tight heat frantically, his previous exhaustion
completely forgotten. "Fuck Eren... So hot inside you... Tight... So fucking
good..." He moaned, breath hitching.
The boy let his whole body rock with every thrust, hands still gripping and
scratching at Levi’s chest a bit desperately as he tried to retain his balance.
His pupils were enlarged with arousal and his eyes widened every time Levi hit
his sweet spot. The omega gasped in ragged breaths, having a hard time
containing himself as his hips instinctively rolled against Levi’s.
Levi was murmuring a litany of praises and curses as he rutted against the boy,
hissing when the omega's blunted nails dug into the skin on his chest and
moaning at the burning that followed the initial sting. He wanted to move
harder, faster, to slam into the brunette, but couldn't hope to do more than
arch and strain pinned under the pregnant male. He wanted to yank Eren down to
crush his lips against his own, his left hand groping roughly up the boy's body
to thread into sweat damp hair and tug him forward and Levi's abdominal muscles
shook with tension as he lifted his upper body to meet the boy halfway since
Eren's belly made it impossible otherwise for the alpha to take his mouth.
Eren shook as he let Levi’s lips dominate his own, moaning into his alpha’s
mouth and taking in deep breaths through his nose until he rolled off the man
gently, legs locked against Levi's hips as he rolled them both over so the
alpha was on top of him. He wrapped his legs around Levi’s waist, arms
mirroring the grip around his neck. “More,” Eren begged quietly, lips still
brushing against Levi’s.
A deep growling groan left the alpha as he knelt on the bed between his mate's
spread thighs and he slowed his hips a moment as he kissed Eren ferociously,
lapping at his mouth and swallowing the desperate sounds, panting harshly
through his nose before he licked, sucked and bit his way along the omega's
jawline to his neck and shoulder, leaving a trail of fresh red-purple marks.
His hips rocked teasingly, unable to do much more than that without putting
pressure on the swell of life between them as he took a few moments to just
taste his mate, savouring the flavour of his sweaty skin before he pulled back,
straightening his spine as much as Eren would allow with his arms around the
alpha's neck and his hands grasped the rounded hips, tilting them upwards for a
better angle and then he moved again, fucking into the boy beneath him as ERen
had been begging him to.
“Hh- uh- f-fuck,“ Eren moaned lewdly, hands falling from Levi’s neck to twist
into the sheets below them, toes immediately curling with pleasure. He panted,
arching his back to accentuate his already very rounded belly and thick, smooth
thighs as he neared his climax. He moaned and panted his alpha’s name
repeatedly, squeezing his eyes shut as his muscles tensed and his leaking
erection spilled across his belly without warning.
Levi's breath caught in his throat when the omega came and he slammed forward
once, twice and his knot flared and locked him inside as a deep shuddering
groan vibrated through him and he filled his shivering mate with hot, pearly
cum. He caught himself on his hands, palms on either side of the brunette's
head as he panted over him, eyes half-lidded and blown with pleasure, his lips
hovering so close to the other male's, chest heaving and making him dizzy from
loss of breath. He kissed at the boy's face, his chin, cheeks, jaw and mouth,
whispering soft sentiments about how beautiful Eren was and how much he loved
him unconsciously. Not that he would stop even if he had been aware of the
sappy drivel pouring from his lips. It was all true anyway.
Eren would’ve blushed if his face wasn’t already as red as a tomato from
physical exertion. “I love you,” Eren whispered in between the kisses Levi gave
him and sweet nothings Levi whispered against his skin. Eren’s eyes closed
contentedly and he hummed softly, hands moving down to his stomach in response
to the subtle stirring he felt there. “Levi,” he said quietly. “Someone’s
awake.”
The alpha looked down between them with bright eyes, immediately interested as
Eren touched at his belly. "Well I should hope he's awake. How the fuck could
anyone sleep through that?" He questioned, tone humoured, face flushed and
still breathless. He placed one of his own hands on the mound, staring at his
mate's reddened face, waiting to feel the tiny rustle of movement within. His
breath hitched and his eyes went a bit wide with wonder when he did feel the
stirring echo of their child shifting inside.
“It feels so weird...” Eren mumbled, shifting beneath his alpha. “It kinda
makes me wanna puke, but I kinda like it at the same time,” he admitted,
pressing on his stomach a bit to keep the baby moving.
Levi chuckled and kept his own hand where he'd placed it, entirely content to
stay locked with the omega just as he was for the rest of the night. "Strange
brat..." He teased affectionately, planting a kiss in the middle of Eren's
chest. "Happy now?"
Eren smiled, nodding. “I’m really happy,” he admitted with a soft yawn, rubbing
his bare stomach affectionately. “I want him right now, Levi.” He was getting
impatient already and there was still close to four months to go.
Levi smiled in return and kissed the boy's shoulder, "You'll have him soon
enough, love. Don't rush him. I haven't made the world deserving of him yet,"
he murmured against damp skin.
Eren hummed softly, closing his eyes. “I don’t think the world will ever be
deserving of him,” Eren admitted quietly, voice laced with exhaustion. “He’s
too perfect, I can already tell.”
"He'd have to be since he's yours, love," Levi replied and laid his head on
Eren's shoulder, pressing his face into the crook of his neck contentedly,
patiently awaiting his knot to abate whilst enjoying the post coital cuddling.
Eren kept his eyes closed, pressing himself closer to his alpha’s warm body.
“If you say so,” he mumbled with a soft chuckle in his voice, making sure to
press his belly safely in between him and Levi, something he’d often found
himself doing over the past weeks and months. “I can’t wait...” he whispered,
voice dragging slightly as he spoke, sleep creeping in undeterred.
Levi hummed his agreement, slipping out of the omega as his knot deflated and
pulling him securely against himself as he laid out on his side next to the
quickly dozing boy. He placed a protective hand over Eren's belly and watched
him until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. "You're worth the world to
me..." He whispered into the dark that had settled over them.
===============================================================================
Eren unconsciously smiled in his sleep, mouth and nose twitching as his facial
expressions changed accordingly with his dreams. He slept like that for quite a
while until he was woken up by a sudden banging. There was a thud and several
sharp bangs and suddenly Eren's eyes flew open as the wood of the door frame
broke apart, door swinging open and sudden dark figures bursting in, yelling
something the omega couldn't quite hear over his sleep addled panic.
Levi woke snarling, attempting to roll from the bed only to be held down by
several pairs of hands. Even so, he put up such a struggle that the intruders
had to inject him with something. He barely felt the syringe as it broke his
skin, adrenaline and instinct making the alpha in him go absolutely berserk.
The only thing that registered in his mind was the necessity to find and
protect his pregnant mate. He was growling and snarling, viciously baring his
teeth even as his movements became less coordinated and lost strength. Even
with the tranquilizer running in his bloodstream, he remained a threat to the
men holding him down and taking Eren from him, so they began to hit him and
when he rolled off the edge of the bed, hoping to escape and take the
offensive, he was too slow and they began to kick him.
There were vague sounds, shouts from voices that sounded as if they were
underwater echoed in his mind to stop, others that argued they knew what he was
capable of. There were other sounds too, cries and scuffling. Eren was not
being taken easily.
The alpha managed to take the legs out from under one of the attackers which in
turn tripped another, who very nearly took out two more with him; the lazy,
self-righteous pricks of the Military Police force had finally made their move,
but they were unskilled because of their slothful past times. Levi would have
laughed if he had any breath.
But it wasn't their skill that gave them victory; it was their numbers... Levi
estimated ten men altogether, perhaps twelve, he couldn't be certain. They had
broken down the door to his quarters at the corps headquarters and literally
piled into the too small space just to be sure they could handle both he and
Eren. They were lucky Eren was pregnant. If the boy could have transformed,
Levi knew there would be no soldiers left standing.
Eren screamed, thrashing as blurred figures grabbed him and yanked him from the
bed. "Levi!" The alpha was surrounded with men, and Eren could barely see
anything in the dark as hands grabbed, groped and hit at Levi, dragging his
mate to the floor and causing the omega to let out a strained, broken, and
almost animalistic cry, instincts kicking in. He had to protect himself and his
baby, and he had to protect his alpha. Someone hit him-- He stumbled and again
someone hit him; everything went fuzzy, causing the omega to fall limp long
enough for a bag to be thrown over his head and he had no strength to struggle
as he was hefted up and dragged out of their quarters.
===============================================================================
Levi couldn't move for what felt like hours, body numbed by pain and fading
adrenaline and drugs. But he felt... They had taken everything from him...
His... Family... There should have been tears, but he couldn't open his eyes to
cry them. And there was darkness... It had always been there... That darkness;
he'd once let it devour his family... He would not allow that to happen again.
He would use that darkness, become that monster to rescue his blood. He would
devour other monsters that wore the guises of men and he would enjoy it because
they needed to know; they needed to be taught that there were far more
frightening monsters than Titans that came out to play in the shadows.
Years of living above ground where he was far more lax were shed in the time he
laid on the floor in a pool of blood that was his own and he remembered the
place that had bred him. He became something else. He became that darkness.
It was Hanji that found him and she cried the tears he could not... Sobbing
silently as she dressed his many wounds. He couldn't ask, but she seemed to
know.
"The MP took him. They were let in, Levi. Someone in the corps led them to
you." And she didn't say, but he knew. And as soon as he was able, he knew
which other monster he would devour first.
Hanji took Levi's limp hand in an attempt to provide what little comfort she
could as spoke to him. "We've looked everywhere," she admitted quietly. "It's
been nearly a day. You've been out this whole time." She told to him, giving
his hand a squeeze. "We're still looking, I promise." She'd sent out nearly
every scout she could trust to look anywhere in town and the surrounding area.
Levi grit his teeth so hard his jaw throbbed. "I already know where they've
taken him, Hanji..." His voice was hoarse and pained, growled from an already
raw throat. He was cold inside... Heartless... Because they'd stolen his heart
while he slept.
He looked down at his wrapped hands clenched tightly into fists and couldn't
feel the ache that should be there. "I need to go get him..."
"You're in no condition," Hanji argued quietly. "We've checked every MP base
within twenty miles. There's no sign of him. And even if we find him,
there's... I don't know how we'll be able to get him back. But I know they
won't kill him..." Hanji tried to provide some reassurance.
"The capital," he rasped, barely more than a whisper of breath from his mouth.
That's where Eren had been taken; he knew it; he could feel it. The capital was
the most well-guarded place in all the walls. He watched his fingers uncurl and
curl again with numb detachment, like they didn't belong to him; these were not
his limbs. No... These limbs belonged to the darkness. His mouth twitched into
a sadistic little smirk that did not threaten pain, but promised it. They would
pay. All of them would get what they deserved.
"Three days... I'm going in three days," he said after a moment, and his eyes
were empty, pure steel and unfeeling. There was no arguing. He would go in
three days. With or without assistance.
"In three days... If you're well enough," Hanji whispered. "But I want you to
be prepared for... The things that may have happened to Eren and the baby in
those three days, alright?" She asked quietly, eyes looking into Levi's
hollowed depths knowingly. The baby was likely going to be aborted, and even if
they could get there within that time, it would probably still be too late.
"Three days is... A lot of time for Eren to be with such monsters... And the
baby..."
"He won't allow it. I will have them both back or I will tear this world
apart," he declared. Eren would not break. He wouldn't. He was so strong, so
fierce. He would not be broken by monsters because the omega had faced them
before. The alpha had to believe that. Eren had been afraid once, but he had
Levi now. They were bonded; they had chosen to be together regardless of all
titles that had been placed on them. Eren would never let them take away their
family. He just had to hold on until Levi came.
"Three days... I'll be well enough..." He assured, voice still raspy, but
dangerous. His scent was recklessly dominant, warning and aggressive in a way
that was entirely animal. He would not shy away from killing to survive, to
rescue what belonged to him. He would not live without his heart again.
"Where's Erwin?" he questioned, needing to know where his enemy was so that he
could plan. Erwin would pay; he owed the darkness his pound of flesh for his
betrayal.
"Eren will be strong," Hanji agreed, voice shaky and gaze averted as she
nodded, but she looked at Levi when he asked about the blonde traitor. "There's
been no sign of him, either," Hanji whispered. "We suspect... We suspect he's
gone to view it himself to make sure the job gets done. Someone claimed to have
seen him leaving before the sun rose this morning."
Levi was not surprised, but he had hoped he could catch the man before he'd
made his escape. Erwin had been able to hurt Eren before and Levi could not
help, but fear he could do so again. Eren was strong, but Erwin was the worst
kind of monster; he could make your own darkness devour you. He'd done it to
Levi once and he had done it to the boy in a way that was far worse in Levi's
mind. He closed his eyes, thinking, calculating, weighing. He thought of his
mate in chains and the image burned itself in his mind, made worse because he
knew exactly what Eren looked like in chains. But this time, there was so much
more at stake. 
"Just three days, baby... You know I'll come for you," he murmured, eyes
unfocused and his fists clenched against the sheets.
"You'll come with me?" he asked abruptly, turning those deadened eyes to Hanji
once again.
"Of course," Hanji assured the alpha, hand moving to rest on his shoulder. "Of
course I will. I love Eren like he's my own, I wouldn't let him rot there. I'll
get you any supplies, any people you need. I'll get everyone who's trustworthy,
I promise."
"I want the 104th. His friends should know he's been taken. They will want to
help. Armin and Mikasa... Get them. I need to speak with the two of them
specifically. Before tomorrow," he said, nodding his head at her affirmation.
She was trusted and she had just a little darkness in her, too. He'd seen it
before. She acted the fool, but a fool, she was not. "And my gear and extra
straps for Eren. The kid's going to get his way, flying at five months
pregnant," he said as an afterthought with an angry twist to his lips.
“Levi," Hanji said, "I can do all of the things you asked, but I don't think
Eren will be flying out of this." Hanji wasn't sure if Levi completely
understood what was likely happening to Eren at the moment, but she didn't want
to get too far into it. Levi didn't need to think about those things.
The alpha's eyes narrowed, "No. Eren will not be weak, Hanji. He's been
expecting this all along. He'll have faith in me. I will not lose faith in him.
We will have our world. He's much stronger than anyone gives him credit for."
His voice was flat as he spoke, but there was something to the monotone words
that was testament to his single minded devotion. He knew his brat.
"I'm not trying to say he's weak. I know as well as anyone that he's not weak,"
answered Hanji. "I just think you're overestimating how much... How much a kid
can go through. And how much damage his body can take," Hanji added the last
part quietly. "I'm not trying to... I'm not trying to put bad thoughts in your
head, I'm just saying, physically... I don't know how well he'll fair."
Levi shook his head and glared at her. “He's not a kid Hanji... He's a mother,"
was all he said in response. It was explanation enough. He laid back into the
bed, body tensed and closed his eyes. He would not sleep, but he would rest and
he would heal.
"Mothers aren't invincible," Hanji reminded quietly, and Levi very well knew
that. After all, his own mother... Well, he'd died so early in Levi's life...
She stood up, wiping away any remnants of emotion and sadness on her face.
"I'll go do the things you've asked of me. You rest now, I'll come back and
check on you in an hour or two."
He didn't respond verbally, saluting her with one hand instead. She was
right... Mothers were not invincible, but not all mothers were titans. He would
not believe that Eren would allow them to hurt the baby. He just had to endure
whatever horrors the monsters performed on him for the three days it would take
for Levi to prepare.
Eren had lost and regrown entire limbs; he knew pain as Levi did, knew the
darkness of men that became monsters. The alpha would not believe that his
fierce omega, the boy who had just the night before wished for their child in
his arms would give in and break before the bastards. Eren wanted the child,
had no doubts anymore about their family. Yes, the worst had occurred, but they
had always known it was a possibility. He'd told Eren... The boy had accepted
and believed his words.
His mind went silent, shutting down any further emotion as he sank himself into
the darkness, preparing for what he was going to do. Devouring monsters always
made him feel sick.
It was a few hours later that Hanji returned with Mikasa and Armin.
===============================================================================
***
Eren had woken up some time... During the day? Maybe... He wasn't quite sure.
The room he was in had barely any light at all, and the way he was chained down
didn't allow the omega any movement at all. It was painfully familiar, but he
knew this was much worse. His head was spinning, his body aching, and on top of
it, he was terrified. "Levi," the soft whimper escaped out loud unintentionally
into the still dampness of the cell he was being kept in.
"I'm afraid he didn't make it, Eren." It was Erwin's voice that sounded from
the far side of the room, another man next to him and another not far,
organizing several items on a table. Next to Erwin, the man's eyes flickered to
the commander suspiciously, giving away the fact that he knew the man was not
speaking honestly. Erwin Smith was a clever man, a dangerous man, but Nile was
also a dangerous man. If they were not enemies, they might have been friends.
As it was, they had a common goal at the moment, so a temporary truce had been
met.
They would remove the child from within the omega and when the shifter healed,
they would have him return to the dungeons, where he would be kept until he was
needed. He was the key to the destruction of the Titans and he was one of them.
If he had to suffer for humanity's freedom, no one would pity the monster. It
was a shame that Captain Ackerman had aligned himself with the youth, but war
was full of casualties.
Eren froze up at the sound of the voice, teeth immediately baring in agitation.
"You're lying," Eren growled, trying to keep it together, but his voice shook
as he spoke. "You wouldn't be stupid enough to kill Humanity's Strongest."
"That is true. I would not, but the fine gentlemen of the Military Police do
not have as much restraint as I do. They got carried away. Even Humanity's
Strongest can only stand so much abuse. Levi is only a man and men are not
invincible," the blonde man responded, sky blue eyes narrowed and unwavering on
the youth, "I did try to warn you both."
The man next to him was starting to smile, pathetic mustache twitching and he
looked to the other man behind the Commander and himself, as if to question his
readiness. The other man gave a near imperceptible nod, but remained silent.
Eren's brows twitched as he held back tears. "Let me go back to him," Eren
hissed. "You have no use for me. Let me go back before he's forced to come and
get me. You know you'll regret it, Erwin. You'll regret it if you don't let me
go right now." Eren's voice shook as he voiced the threatening words. "He'll
kill you. I'll kill you." He knew it was an empty threat. He was chained to a
damn table and everything hurt; he had no way of transforming and even if he
did have a way, he didn't know if he would he be able to in his state.
The tall blonde commander stepped closer to the bound boy, his gaze flickering
sidelong to Nile and the other, a jerk of his chin giving them some directive
that Eren couldn't know. The both of them perused the things on the table as
Erwin turned his attention back to the pregnant shifter. "Now, now, there's no
need for such threats, Eren. You knew that this would happen. If you had
listened to what I told you before, we all could have avoided this, you know
that. Levi won't come for you. He can't."
Nile stepped up to the larger alpha's side, steel glinting dangerously in his
hand and he offered it to Erwin, but the commander simply gave the sharp blade
an approving look, not reaching to take it. Nile rolled the weapon in his grip,
getting a feel for the blade as Erwin breathed out an almost tired sigh.
"You've left us no choice in this Eren. It's time for you to remember your
responsibility to humanity. It's a small price to pay; the ending of one life
is worth the lives of many. You must remember when you believed that, too."
Realization that Eren had been trying to avoid suddenly struck him, the omega
immediately starting to shake uncontrollably as he began to uselessly tug at
his bonds. "No. No," he said quickly. "That's not true. That's not true. Your
beliefs are wrong and you only impressed them on me and every other soldier for
your own damn benefit." Eren's wrists wriggled and twisted in the rusty chains,
becoming bloody within seconds from the attempted force the shifter used,
beginning to panic. He could feel his baby move inside him, obviously
distressed by the way Eren's heart raced and it only made the boy panic further
in fear of never feeling his baby move again.
"You've left us no other choice, Eren. This is for the best. You know that deep
down," Erwin cooed lowly as if trying to comfort the struggling boy, "Don't
struggle. It'll be over soon." Nile stepped forward, eyes lit on the silver
edge of the vicious knife in his hold and Erwin crossed muscled arms over his
broad chest, giving another singular nod to the other man.
There was darkness in the military police officer's eyes as they shifted from
the blade to the restrained omega, no feeling in the depths. This was not a
child before him, but a monster, inhuman and deserving. He was doing a justice
to humanity by removing the threat within the creature.
The tip of the knife was cold against the boy's skin, the sharp edge ghosting
over naked flesh, trailing teasingly from the mating mark branded on his
collar, down over the rapid beating of his heart in his chest and painting the
flesh with the tiniest threads of sanguine red before the man holding it pulled
it away, hold falling back in preparation to carve into the round curve of
Eren's pregnant belly.
Eren shivered when the knife ran down his chest, gritting his teeth as he
watched Nile. When he pulled his hand back to stab Eren, he cried out in fear,
unable to quell the instinctive sound.
Though, the omega's fear proved to be unnecessary. Nile brought the knife down
with incredible force, but a sharp sound echoed through the room as the knife
shattered, sending Nile stumbling backwards with the recoil.
The officer cursed, the shattered blade clattering to the floor and he shook
his hand to alleviate the stinging throb that echoed through the limb. Erwin's
thick brows rose and he bent slightly at the waist to look over the crystal
that had formed over Eren's abdomen. He hummed in thought. Hanji had neglected
to say anything about this particular development in her reports. He took in
the rest of the boy's appearance, taking note of the steam slowly rising from
the wounds on the youth's wrists and chest, much slower than usual for such
superficial injuries and he came to the conclusion that the boy was using a
large majority of his abilities to protect the child rather than himself.
Nile clenched his jaw, anger swirling in his eyes in response to the failure
and he spun to retrieve another weapon from the table, a long, thin blade not
unlike the letter opener Eren had once used himself. He stepped back up to the
boy, unaffected by the struggling or the sounds of his cries. Monsters didn't
cry real tears. Erwin's hand on his shoulder stopped him from foolishly
attempting to impale the crystallized flesh again and he snarled at the
commander. The tall blonde alpha tilted his head, his scent pressing in on
Nile, forcing him to stop his urge to lash out at the interruption. "Let go of
me, Smith. It needs to be finished."
"You're right, Nile, but I think we should approach from another angle," was
the cool reply from the commander and he gave Nile a meaningful look before
releasing him. Nile didn't immediately stab at Eren's rounded stomach, looking
him over instead, realization dawning on him belatedly. Once it had, the
malicious smirk returned to his thin lips.
"Alright, Titan, we know how to cure stubbornness," he said in a dark tone that
held an underlying thread of excitement. He was going to enjoy this. The long
thin blade slid into Eren's shoulder by inches, searing in its slow
progression. It seemed an eternity before it had pierced all the way through to
his shoulder blade and Nile was still smiling, gaze filled with blood lust and
satisfaction as the boy's blood gushed from the inflicted wound, unable to heal
while still impaled by the weapon in his flesh.
Eren was screaming hoarsely, unable to hold it back. He'd tried to suppress it;
he really had, but he just couldn't. It hurt so damn bad and his body wasn't
even attempting to heal it, crystal still over his abdomen, protecting the
child inside the unbreakable shell. His body had to choose Eren or the baby,
and it chose the baby. Or maybe Eren was the one choosing the baby.
"Stop it!" Eren begged through gritted teeth, hissing in pain as tears rolled
down his reddened cheeks.
"You can make it stop, Eren. You know how," Erwin piped up, apathetic blue eyes
narrowed on the shifter coldly while Nile accepted another tool from the silent
soldier still by the table. It was another thin blade, but it was red with
heat, having been left in the flame of a torch long enough for the blade to
lose the colour of steel. The older male held it with careful intensity as he
stepped back to the boy, not even hesitating to press the searing metal to the
omega's flesh, marring the mark on his collar with the blade's burning flat,
the smell of cooking meat filling the room in seconds.
Eren let out an excruciating cry, sobbing and shaking as he tried to make the
burning stop. "I don't know how! I don't know how!" The omega screamed
desperately, screwing his eyes shut tightly.
Erwin clicked his tongue, "You do. You just have to make a choice, Eren."
Nile pulled the blade from the melted flesh and flipped it to the other side,
pressing it slowly against the side of Eren's throat, nostrils flaring. "Why
don't you call out for that traitor, monster?" he questioned acidly, pressing
the blade harder against the skin, the sound of sizzling flesh filling the
stale air as he wounded the youth further, remorseless and unforgiving in his
words and actions.
Eren was screaming and sobbing brokenly, but refused to call out for Levi. "I
can't turn it off. I can't turn it off!" He pleaded with the two men, sweat
beading on his forehead as the hot metal pressed into the side of his neck.
Nile scoffed, pulling the blade away from the ruined skin of the boy's throat
and immediately drove it through his other shoulder, unaffected by Eren's cries
and sobs. He returned to the table to retrieve several long glowing needles at
least four inches in length and walked back to the shaking omega with
purposeful steps.
Erwin pursed his lips, "I'm sure you can Eren, if you only try."
"I'm trying," Eren sobbed wretchedly, voice weak and cracking. "I'm trying."
But he was lying. He wasn't trying; he couldn't bring himself to try and bring
down the crystal shield protecting his baby. He couldn't bear the thought of
his baby being killed.
"You can do better, Eren. Levi wouldn't want you to suffer. He would
understand," Erwin soothed as Nile slid the needles beneath the surface of the
skin on the boy's forearms, the flesh bubbling and smoking from within. The
wounds were shallow, not as damaging, but excruciatingly painful.
Eren was sobbing and gagging in defeated agony, sounding much like a hurt
child. Honestly, that's all he was at the moment. He was a child and he was
scared and hurting; he didn't know what to do. He knew Levi would understand,
but that didn't matter. Eren couldn't give up their child; he wouldn't. Even if
that was what Levi would want him to do. He'd come too far with this baby and
he wasn't going to let any harm come to it, not after it had persevered through
so much already.
It was hours of heat, blades and needles piercing tender flesh over and over.
The men had even tried aborting the child from within, the way a doctor would,
but with awful tools that were unnecessarily heated and excruciatingly painful,
but of course the crystal blocked the entrance to his womb internally as well.
Nonetheless, that didn't stop the two men from continuing that torture for a
few hours before they afforded the young man a reprieve. They broke to eat,
leaving the boy alone with the silent soldier for a guard who only stared with
unfeeling interest at the unhealed wounds littering Eren's body. The break was
short lived.
When Erwin and Nile returned, the MP commander was holding a bucket of frigid
water and a swatch of silk. Heat had not had the desired effect so perhaps the
liquid element would.
Nile hummed a cheery tune as he laid the silk cloth over Eren's face, adjusting
it with cruel gentleness before he took up the bucket, pouring the water in a
slow teasing stream, his humming rising in volume over the sputtering and
choking of the boy.
Eren couldn't breathe. There was no possible way. He was being drowned without
even being submerged in water. The water Nile poured on his face was freezing
cold, nearly numbing. He tried to hold his breath, but he couldn't resist
taking in deep gulps of water when he couldn't hold out any longer and he
choked and sputtered. It was awful. He wanted it to end, even if that meant he
died.
The alternating torture continued for hours that bled into days, the violence
escalating when the men became frustrated and Erwin spoke to Eren when the boy
was shuddering, covered in sweat, blood, vomit and an array of other fluids,
cool blue eyes unshy as they took in the broken and destroyed flesh while he
spoke in that soothing calm tone, whispering words of manipulation, winding
promises of forgiveness, ultimatums and encouragement, sadistic and
uncompromising is the pursuit of their purpose. He would break the omega... He
would succeed too as long as they did not run out of time. He hadn't expected
Eren to resist so long, had not anticipated how Levi's interaction with the
shifter may have strengthened him against them, but it only meant the torture
was worse.
They kept the omega in a constant state of pain, though the brutality of that
pain varied through the minutes and hours. When Nile grew tired, he handed the
responsibility to others, specifically the members of the force that had a
personal vendetta against the Titans and the abuse continued tenfold. He
allowed the soldiers to do anything they wanted, and that meant anything. It
didn't matter to them that Eren was a titan, he was still a pretty, vulnerable
omega. One who they could touch as much as they wanted without reprise. 
They took advantage of it. Of him.
It was not even an entire three days later that the fated interruption came.
Warning bells chimed overhead, signalling the breech. And it was obvious that
Levi wasn't leaving without his omega by his side.
He would get his Eren back, no matter what. 
***** Heartbroken *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Chapter Notes
     Trigger Warning: PTSD, panic attacks, mild violence and mentions of
     torture.
They could not have expected a near majority of the survey corps to arrive with
a bruised, but determined Levi at their head.
Eren had grown numb to the torture. He still felt the physical pain that made
him scream and cry out, voice hoarse and barely audible due to the lack of food
and water and rawness of his throat from the horrific sounds that were wrung
from him. The omega was exhausted, and he wasn't really even in reality
completely. The trauma that had racked through both his brain and his body had
gotten to him, and his body had made no efforts to heal the horrible wounds
littering his body. They were red and oozing, scabbing over. But each time Nile
and Erwin would just reopen every wound and by this point, Eren's body was more
purple and red with blood and bruises than it was his normal tan, vibrant skin.
Even when Eren heard the warning bells and the yelling of soldiers and gunshots
up above him, the omega couldn't react, his eyes staying blank as he stared up
at the ceiling, body racked with unconscious shivers.The soldier guarding Eren
obviously began to panic, shifting nervously from foot to foot and wringing his
hands together.
Levi was not a man; he was not flesh and bone, muscle and sinew; he was a
shadow. He was vengeance, moving liquid darkness. He was death.
The soldiers around him did not ask for orders; they already knew the alpha was
deaf to their words just as he was deaf to the cries and shuddering last
breaths of the enemies that fell beneath the storm of his blades. They could
not hope to keep him at bay or to save themselves. He had wings and they did
not.
Hanji took control once they made it inside the building, still not entirely
certain that Levi was right in his declaration that his mate was here, but it
was far too late to turn back. Mikasa, Armin, and a handful of select others
from the 104th accompanied her as they immediately headed for the staircase
down to the bowels of the structure where it was no secret the dungeons were
located. She lost sight of Levi in the chaos, but saw a shock of wheat blonde
above the rest and knew where he would be. There was a debt to be paid and Levi
had come to collect.
Erwin turned on his heel and was immediately confronted with a dark glare
coming from a strikingly familiar raven-haired captain. He immediately stepped
forward, throwing a blind, panicked swing at the shorter alpha.
Levi avoided the hit easily, dropping to the ground and sweeping a leg out in
an attempt to take the larger alpha down. "Too slow, commander," he taunted
when Erwin stumbled, but did not topple over, his voice venomous, caged fury in
his narrowed silver eyes, liquid and deadly. He was circling the older male
like a predator, blade held back in a hold that was all criminal. After all,
there was no honour in the underground where he'd first learned to use it.
Erwin looked scared. For the first time, he was actually afraid of Levi. He
didn't have his little minions to protect him from the shorter man and he
probably never would again. "Get out of here; you're too late," Erwin snarled,
edging away from the aggressive raven alpha.
Levi's white teeth glinted in a vicious sneer. He could smell the other alpha's
fear, sour and rank in the air around them and his own scent flared up in
triumph. "You never did learn, did you?" He asked conversationally, closing in
another step on the taller alpha, "You should be careful raising monsters,
Erwin; they always turn on you in the end." His wrist flicked out in a blur of
motion, tearing a bloody gash in the blonde's defensive forearm.
Erwin gritted his teeth to hold back his cry of pain, stumbling back and
holding his arm to his chest protectively before he turned tail and ran like a
damned coward.
Levi chuckled darkly, immediately giving pursuit, moving with the speed and
grace that had afforded him his title and namesake in the corps. He kept pace
behind the other man, purposely stalking him, reveling in the panic and fear,
the sheer scent of cowardice that was left in Erwin's wake.
The only thing that managed to save Erwin's desperate ass was Hanji yelling
Levi's name over the static din of clashing blades and gunshots, grunts, cries,
and panting of soldiers fighting one another. She'd found her way to the
basement and the second she'd caught the sight of Eren's bloody figure strapped
to the table, she'd ran right back upstairs and started calling for Levi, her
voice desperate and terrified. She was honestly convinced Eren was dead; she'd
been too afraid to check.
The alpha did not hear Hanji's voice, deaf beneath the thunder of his own blood
in his ears. It was not her call that stilled him, but the thread of scent that
had followed her from the basement. Eren...
He immediately turned toward the scent of his anguished mate even as the
tenacious darkness flared inside him, arguing. It tried to persuade him that
the omega could wait a few more minutes, just a few more... His prey was so
close...
But the scent reminded Levi, the darkness was not to be trusted; it only craved
for blood. Levi had not come for the darkness; he had come for his heart.
He moved passed Hanji swiftly, a blur of limbs as he jumped steps and cleared
other soldiers to get to the source of that scent.
A deep croon sounded from in his chest, blades clattering to the the ground
amongst the blood and filth beneath his booted feet as he approached the prone
form of his mate, his scent rolling off him in such potent waves of warning
that their comrades retreated to the steps, compelled to get away from the
dangerous alpha.
He crouched at the battered teen's side, tearing the chains from the boy's body
without regard for the injuries inflicted to his own hands. Once freed, he
gathered Eren against him, touch desperate, but gentle, one hand moving to the
round of his shielded belly. Eren had been strong enough...
"It's alright now... You can heal, baby. I'll protect you," he murmured breathy
assurance, fingers pressed and spread wide over the crystallized curve.
Eren hadn't registered he was being touched, eyes blank until he heard Levi's
voice speak. But, he couldn't recognize that it was his alpha. He was so scared
that Erwin and Nile had come back to torture him again. The first thing that
escaped Eren's mouth when Levi pulled him against his chest was a set of
desperate and terrified screams mixed in with hoarse sobs, the omega shaking as
his whole body tensed as though attempting to escape Levi's grasp.
The alpha held the boy tighter to him, scenting him desperately in spite of all
the filth on Eren's skin and the volume of his crooning increased. "Shh...
Eren, I know... I know... I'm here. I've come for you, baby, like I said I
would. I'm sorry... So sorry I took so long... You've done so well, baby... You
don't have to fight anymore..." He was whispering, hoarse and desperate,
mercurial depths shining with tears he did not shed.
Eren shook, sobs dying down into whimpers as he seemed to register that Levi
wasn't a threat, but his eyes were still unfocused and he didn't reply. He
couldn't retract the crystal covering his stomach, meaning he couldn't heal at
all. The omega couldn't recognize anything going on around him and he couldn't
speak. All he knew was that he was absolutely terrified, which was evident in
his scent and the way he was frozen with fear.
Levi growled, frustrated by his inability to reach his mate. Eren had retreated
into himself, was trapped in the nightmare he'd been living the past few days
and Levi was angry at himself for being unable to come sooner, at Erwin and the
military police who had stolen his heart from him in the first place.
He had to reach the boy. Eren's wounds were mostly superficial, the worst of
them being the punctures from the knives and needles, but they bled precious
blood and for every moment they remained open and unhealed, infection could
become a real risk, especially if Eren could not heal himself.
Levi wrapped his cape around his nearly bare mate tucked him against him
carefully, much like he had all those months ago when they'd first learned of
the child Eren would bear, and he moved to leave, soldiers falling in around
him to shield both the alpha and his omega from any more wayward enemies. He
hoped once he had Eren away from the place that was only familiarized with
pain, once Eren was surrounded by only Levi, then he would come back to him. He
believed he would. He had to...
Hanji had only breathed in relief at the sound of Eren screaming because that
meant at least he was alive and somewhat conscious. She stayed close to Levi to
help protect her friends, but by now, most of the military police had
retreated.
Eren stayed unresponsive for the most part, didn't struggle when Levi picked
him up. He thought he would be ecstatic when the man found him and full of
life, but right now, he felt like this wasn't even real, like Levi wasn't real
and Erwin had somehow fabricated this rescue to hurt Eren further.
Levi did not slow down until they had escaped the building into the dark
alleyways and he did not speak to anyone as he shot his hooks into the walls
and took flight, experienced enough from years in the field to compensate for
his mate's weight. He did not even care if the others followed. His focus was
solely on getting his vulnerable mate as far from the danger as possible.
They could not return to the corps headquarters, not any more, but they had
prepared for that. They had secured a large cabin in the far area of
Shiganshina that would serve well as their safe house for the time being, but
it would be a day's travel at the least to reach it.
Levi finally descended from the air when he had reached a safe distance from
the MP building, landing in an area that had fallen into disrepair, but was
usable.
He knelt with Eren still held against him and used clean cloths that Hanji
provided from a few feet away to wash away the refuse on his mate's body
tenderly. He knew what had happened, what was happening. He'd seen it before.
He crooned and cooed until his throat was raw and removed the layers of
clothing between them until he wore only his pants, warming his mate with his
skin. He did not leave Eren's side, could not. Instincts raged rampant inside
him. Eren needed him, but the boy did not believe he'd been rescued.
It was very late, probably a few odd hours before dawn would break. Their
comrades had seen to their own injuries and Hanji had directed them to rest.
She stood propped up in a cracked doorway between the two main rooms of the
building they'd hidden in, standing guard over the pair that occupied the far
room.
Levi was on his side, eyes open and on his mate, one arm curled protectively
around now bandaged boy, his other smoothing up and down Eren's side, fingers
brushing along the crystal that refused to fade.
He pressed his forehead to Eren's as he had so many times before and whispered
in rough tones, emotion raw and tearing up his already ruined throat. "Come
back to me, brat. I need to hear you... I need your light... I won't ever let
you go again... Remember all the things we've promised. It's cold inside my
chest. Eren..." He continued speaking, inaudible to anyone, but the omega and
himself, similar words, assurances, begging, pleading. "Please come back, baby,
I love you..."
Eren felt his alpha's touches from a distance, the man's warm skin pressing
against his own and it prompted the exhausted omega to press himself into Levi,
eyes still unfocused and unseeing as he stared at the decrepit wall closest to
the door.
His shaking had abated aside from the little tremors that rocked his body here
and there, but the omega was just too tired to be terrified anymore. He was
unresponsive to his mate's words that sounded so far away, too deep in shock to
reply. It had been his body's way of protecting him, going into a trance-like
shock to protect Eren from even more mental harm, but it had now caused a
problem. The omega couldn't snap out of it and he couldn't retract the shield
of crystal protecting their baby, which was taking up all his energy. He still
hadn't showed any signs of healing, and blood soon began to seep through white
bandages where the worst of his wounds had been.
Hanji watched, still propped up in the doorway with swollen, red eyes. She
wanted to say something, but she didn't think now was the time to interrupt.
Levi's body began to throb, the adrenaline finally crashing and the ache that
radiated in him reminded him that he had neglected his own recovery. His body
begged for sleep that his mind would not permit. How could he close his eyes?
What if he did and in that instant, Eren was taken from him again? His mate was
trapped where Levi could not reach him, obviously in shock and under extreme
mental and physical duress; Levi could not possibly rest. He was heartsick. He
could feel the darkness coiling in his gut, whispering words of vengeance and
berating him for having not taken the chance to destroy the monster that had
left his precious mate in such a state. He could feel the cold in his chest
spreading. If Eren did not recover...
Levi's tears fell then as his body throbbed dully and became numb again. He
cried tears of grief, angry and anguished. He cried for the both of them, their
child that was trapped within the omega, safe, but untouchable as it's mother.
If Eren didn't recover, Levi knew he would be irreparable. He'd been a ghost
once and been revived by the boy now lost in his own head and the alpha knew
that he would not be so lucky a second time.
Eren's now dull green eyes had stayed open for some time before they slowly
shut, the omega unable to stay awake any longer. The only sleep he'd gotten
over the past three days was the times he'd lost consciousness.
Hanji had slid down the door frame to sit on the floor at some point as she
watched Eren sleep and Levi cry silently. She couldn't stand watching Levi in
so much pain, to see the strongest man she'd ever met falter and crumble; it
was devastating to behold.
"He'll come around," Hanji spoke up, voice cracking hoarsely
Levi cried until he had no more tears left, holding his mate tightly in arms
that were numb to feeling.
When Hanji spoke, it only made him hurt more. She'd been right about Eren and
why hadn't he listened? Three days had been too long. He should've known. Three
days he'd left his love with a monster that was too powerful. Eren had been
strong, had endured the wounds inflicted upon him, but those were on his skin.
His skin had been broken a thousand times before, flesh wounded and mended, but
his mind was not as easily healed. Hanji had tried to warn him, but he had been
too lost to listen.
"If he doesn't..." His voice was gone, a guttural whisper escaping parched lips
in its stead. He paused to wet them and inhale, soaking in the scent of his
mate, honey and cream with the distinct bitterness of lingering fear and
anguish and the metallic bite of blood, not as he would wish it, but comforting
nonetheless. "If he doesn't, this world will die with him..."
He could no longer fathom a world without Eren, without his hope... His
heart... His family. There was no future without them. Levi would lose himself
to his darkness, be consumed by it and the world would suffer because there
would be nothing left for him to lose.
"He will," Hanji replied in a rushed tone, as though desperate herself. "He
will; we just waited a bit longer than we should have is all... He'll pull
through; he'll be healed by tomorrow..." she murmured, more to herself than to
Levi. She felt so guilty that she hadn't sent others out to retrieve Eren
sooner
Levi didn't answer. He wanted to believe her words, but he had so little faith
left. Eren did not recognize him, could not even release the crystal from his
womb because he did not know his mate was there. Eren was protecting their baby
even from Levi at a cost to himself. It hurt...
Levi wanted to peel the crystal away, to place his numb palm over the firm
smoothness and feel again...
He pressed the length of his body to Eren's, cocooning the omega in his limbs
and scent, unable to do anything more than that. He closed his eyes, but sleep
didn't come, only darkness.
At some point, Hanji had fallen asleep, unable to help it after days of little
sleep, run ragged in order to prepare for the coup they'd staged to retrieve
the shifter.
Eren slept through most of that night, shielded by Levi's body and by his
scent, but even so, the omega didn't have a very restful sleep. He was shaking,
the nightmares of Erwin and Nile water boarding him, the hot needles piercing
his skin and all the hands of strangers that had brutalized his flesh in ways
he'd not wish on his own worst enemy replaying over in his mind and breaking
him anew. Soon enough the omega was screaming bloody murder against his mate,
not moving away from Levi, but clutching at him desperately as he slept, nails
digging into Levi's arms and back, quickly breaking the skin.
Levi grit his teeth when the nails bit into his flesh, but he did not push the
boy away, holding him closer, tighter. He crooned that same ragged cooing from
his raw throat and aching chest. His fingers dug against Eren desperately. He
whispered senseless things, apologies, promises, assurances that he himself
wasn't sure he believed, but he couldn't simply remain silent.
There was self-hatred in his gut and in his head, the darkness feeding and
being fed in a vicious cycle. He was useless... It was his fault... Everything
from the very beginning was his fault... Why had he ever thought he deserved
something so precious? He wasn't meant to have a family... His mother, Farlan
and Isabel, his squad... The darkness had taken all of them in one form or
another and now... Now it would take Eren and with him, that beautiful,
miraculous little life that had only just begun...
"Wake up, baby... It's a nightmare... Open your eyes Eren... All you have to do
is open your eyes and see..."
He squeezed Eren and for the first time in his life, Levi prayed. He didn't
even know who he was praying to, but he begged and pleaded until he ran out of
words.
Eren was screaming and he broke off into a hitched sob as he opened his eyes.
"No-" it was the first word that escaped his lips, more of a wail than
anything. "No-no..." His breath hitched and he repeated the word over and over,
still clinging to his alpha instinctively.
Levi's hands framed the boy's tear-streaked face and he tried to meet the
frantic gaze. "Stop... Stop... Shh... Baby, please... It's over... I've got
you... I've got you..." Levi's voice was broken, eyes burning with the threat
of new tears.
Eren shook, letting out another wail of fear, looking around frantically as he
tried to process where he was. The only thing that kept him from screaming
himself hoarse in terror again was the way his mate's scent washed over him as
Levi held him close. He took hitched breaths, releasing his nails from Levi's
skin slowly.
"Levi." It was the only thing that could escape his mouth, barely more than a
harsh hitching of raspy breath.
The fresh tears fell then, trailing from the corners of Levi's eyes in
crystalline tracks down pale cheeks. His name had never sounded more
beautiful...
His voice shook, breathless, "Yeah, baby... I'm here... I fucking missed
you..." His thumbs grazed the bruised cheeks tenderly, liquid winter depths
swirling with tumultuous emotion as they stared into the eyes of his
everything. He wanted to believe. He'd do anything... Please...
It was a few seconds of the omega’s anguished sobbing before the crystal cover
protecting their baby was gone, crumbling and sliding off as though it had
never even been strong in the first place. Eren was still in pain and he was
completely exhausted, but he’d managed to snap out of his shock enough to
finally realize he was safe in his alpha’s arms. Eren still clung to Levi as
though he was afraid someone would rip him from the man’s arms, shaking as he
clutched helplessly onto his mate.
Levi's gaze was searching and when he felt the crystal fall away, his right
hand dropped from Eren's face to spread protectively, soothingly over the
fleshy bulge that was probably the only bit of the boy's skin that was unmarred
from the abuse he'd sustained. The alpha's other hand curled against the back
of the boy's head, fisting in the bloodstained chocolate strands and pressed
him into his neck, his own face buried against the mark that was scarred over,
but had been scarred anew.
Levi was whispering gratitude against his mate's skin, the scent of his relief
wove with his usual alpha scent, no longer heavy with grief. And smiled when he
felt that stirring of continued life beneath his palm.
Eren shook against his mate, sobs quieting once again as a wave of dizziness
and drowsiness hit him as a result of his poor physical state. It was
surprising that the baby was even moving at all after no food or water for
three days and the fact that it had to deal with the stress of the trauma its
mother endured. But the baby was fine, perfectly fine and perfectly healthy in
some act of divinity. It was honestly a complete miracle.
Levi only squeezed Eren tighter. "Sleep if you're tired. I'm not going
anywhere," he breathed against Eren's neck and wrapped the omega in his
protective scent. It was safe for him to let his guard down. Levi wouldn't let
anything happen to him again.
Eren didn't reply, forehead tucked against Levi's neck as the omega took deep
shuddering breaths, eyes reluctantly closing despite the fact he was terrified
to go back to sleep. But he didn't have any choice; his body wouldn't let him
stay awake a moment longer, almost immediately going limp in Levi's grasp once
more. The only movement was the rise and fall of his chest and the fluttering
stir of the tiny life nestled inside him that couldn't quite seem to follow its
mother's lead.
Levi rubbed his hand over the soft curve, soothing the rather energetic motions
within and he spoke softly, petting Eren's hair as the omega fell into
exhausted slumber. "Shh, I missed you too... Settle down now, baby, let your
momma sleep. You're probably hungry, just be patient..."
A soft sound from the doorway forced his attention there only to meet the teary
gaze of the scientist. She had her hands clasped in from of her lips, but he
knew she was smiling. They made eye contact for several long moments, conveying
so much without words.
"I got it, Captain, get some sleep. You're no good to either of them in that
state..."
He huffed, but closed his eyes. Their comrades would keep watch. He had to
trust in his recruits. They were some of the best he'd ever trained and loyal
to a fault.
Eren slept through the rest of that night, any bad dreams quickly being soothed
away by the soft coos and cuddles of his alpha as Hanji watched over them.
The exhausted omega slept nearly until three o'clock the next afternoon, though
he still hadn't showed any signs of healing the wounds he'd received.
Levi was the one that checked and redressed Eren's injuries. The bleeding had
at least stopped for the most part. He rewrapped the boy's shoulders tightly,
winding the fresh bandages halfway down the omega's chest and tucking them in
at the back, carefully maneuvering Eren's pliant body with little effort.
When Levi had woken the first time and redressed the wounds, Eren had still
been asleep. Hanji had forced him to drink a glass of water and toss back some
meds before promising to send one of the others to get supplies. They all
needed to eat.
Levi had fallen back asleep after that, so exhausted from the chaos of the
passed few days, the physical, mental and emotional strain that he had fought
against every waking moment he had not had his mate back, until Eren had come
back to him. And it was not over yet. There was no doubt that there would be
more to come. He had failed to kill Erwin and had led half the corps into
treason. They were all wanted criminals now. That was alright for the alpha.
He'd been raised a criminal, but the brats had not, not all of them. They would
have to learn quickly while on the run, but he could not regret it and put it
from his mind while he could. They needed to recover enough to get to
Shiganshina and soon.
His sleep was dreamless, quiet, a body shut down. He was not awake when Eren
finally woke, but Hanji was still at the doorway, several parcels containing
food in her hands.
Eren's tired eyes blinked open, struggling to adjust to the bright light as he
shifted his aching body. He made out a blurry figure standing in the doorway
and he immediately tensed, momentarily raising his hand to grab Levi and shake
him awake before he realized it was only Hanji standing before him. But still,
he only looked at the beta woman, not saying a single word to her as though she
was a complete stranger to him
Hanji's movements were deliberate and slow, her scent calm as she approached as
nonthreatening as possible. She set the packages of food down close to Eren,
but kept enough distance between them to keep Eren comfortable and knelt, being
sure to keep her hands in clear view.
"Eren... Are you hungry?" She asked quietly, keeping her eyes level with his.
She needed his trust and she'd dealt with enough cases of PTSD to know the best
ways to gain it.
Levi didn't wake, but he did curl his arm tighter over the omega's waist, a
frown forming between his brows as the boy moved.
Eren stared at the woman, shaky lips opening and closing for a moment as though
he was going to say something, but he just gave up and shook his head, eyes
flicking from Hanji to the food. He just kept shaking his head.
He didn't feel hungry at all and he was afraid if he tried to eat, he may get
sick. He'd gotten so sick of throwing up the past few days. He pressed himself
closer into Levi, still maintaining eye contact with Hanji, bags under both the
beta and the omega's eyes.
"That's alright... But you need to try and eat soon, okay? I bet the little
one's hungry," she cooed quietly, remaining still as she watched the
omega. "Levi did a good job on your bandages. But you might need stitches if
you don't start healing soon..." She observed in the same soothing tone. "He
missed you very much. We all did..."
Eren opened and closed his mouth again, but still no words came out. He'd
missed Levi too, more than he could even express. But he'd thought... He'd
thought Levi would come for him sooner. He wasn't angry, just confused.
And he wished he'd heal. His whole body hurt all over and he didn't want
stitches; he didn't want anyone touching him but Levi. Eren placed a hand over
his wrapped shoulder, shaking his head as he did so.
"Okay, that's okay. We don't have to do anything right now. Levi needs some
rest first. I don't think he's slept at all the whole time you were gone even
though he really needed it. He was pretty beat up from those jerks," Hanji
spoke in a light tone, not wanting anything she said to upset Eren, but to also
keep him responsive.
"You're probably too tired and hungry to heal properly..." She murmured almost
as if she was speaking to herself as she watched him place a tentative hand
over his injured shoulder. Her eyes focused again after a moment, "Do you want
some water? Its very important. I made Levi drink some earlier... I have some
medicine for pain too, though I can't give you anything strong because of the
baby."
Eren nodded slowly. His throat was burning and he really did want some of the
pain to go away. Eren vaguely remembered the encounter they had with the MP.
They'd started dragging Eren out of bed and he'd seen Levi on the floor, but he
wasn't sure what had happened after that. It made him get chills when he
thought about the MP beating the man he loved most so badly that he had not
been able to pursue them right away.
Hanji gave a singular nod and moved to her feet with the same sort of slow
motions she'd been exhibiting through their entire interaction, stepping out of
the room to retrieve a glass of water and a tiny blue pill, speaking briefly
with the other recruits in the other room when they questioned her about the
alpha and omega; they were all so worried.
She returned shortly, seating herself more comfortably, cross-legged as she
offered the glass and pill to Eren. "It might be a bit bitter, but wash it down
with the water real quick and it shouldn't be too bad. It should help with some
of the pain, but it's a low enough dosage that it won't harm the baby," she
explained quietly before she went silent a moment, watching the boy carefully,
taking notice of his nervous hesitancy. Whatever had happened to him in that
dungeon had obviously taken a toll on him. She needed to make him comfortable,
to be sure he knew that if he needed to talk about it, she was available; he
could trust in her.
"Do you have questions?"
Eren trusted that the pill wouldn't hurt the baby. He knew Hanji would never do
anything to harm the baby. He popped the pill into his mouth with shaky hands,
raising the glass to his lips immediately after. He had to use both hands to
keep it steady. And even then, they shook with the effort; he could barely lift
the glass as he took a sip of water, some sloshing over the side of the cup
from his trembling.
Eren lowered the glass from his mouth, nearly dropping it and he would have if
it wasn't for the fact Hanji reached out to steady it. Eren let her take the
glass from him, looking around nervously before motioning with his hands for a
pen and paper.
Hanji watched the hand signals a moment before she grasped what he wanted and
patted at her jacket pockets until she found the little notebook and pencil she
always carried on her. She handed both over to the boy in an outstretched palm
and set the glass of water down next to the wrapped food items.
She then rested her hands on her crossed legs and patiently waited for whatever
Eren wanted to communicate, in no rush to be doing anything else. There were
recruits on guard and some that she had sent to gather information in town,
disguised of course. It was all they could do at the moment. Levi needed time
to recuperate before they could move forward, not to mention Eren was in no
condition yet.
Eren looked around again nervously, like he was being watched. He clutched at
the notepad tightly, holding it as close to him as possible while still being
able to write. He began writing with shaky hands, having to cross out his words
a few times and start over due to the illegible words scrawled all over the
paper. He took a while, at least five minutes of silence besides the sound of
the pencil scratching on the paper before he'd managed a barely legible
sentence. He handed it over to Hanji.
Where is Erwin? was all the paper said.
The scientist's eyes ran over the scribbled out lines to the somewhat legible
question and she drew in a breath.
"I can't say for sure, but he escaped. He will probably go back to the corps
headquarters," she answered after several long seconds, choosing her words
carefully. She couldn't lie to him, but she didn't want to frighten him any
further.
Eren gave a slight shake of his head, a trembling shudder running through his
body. He took the paper and pencil back, scribbling again.
He'll find me
Hanji worried her bottom lip between her teeth, fingers curling against her
thighs. "I don't think he's going to come for you again directly, Eren. He's
scared now..." she replied quietly, "Levi won't let him get near you."
The memory of Levi when he was facing Erwin made Hanji shudder inwardly. She'd
never seen such darkness from the short, grumpy alpha, no more than a flicker
of it showing through now and again; he'd been murderous; bloodthirsty as she'd
never before witnessed and frightening.
He's coming for me
He'll kill me
They were the only things the omega could write down as he started shaking,
tears coming to his eyes and breathy whimpers escaping his lips as he began to
panic.
Hanji shook her head and forced herself not to reach out to the boy since he
was not seeking the contact himself. As his distress rose, Levi shifted and
silver eyes fluttered open, nostrils flaring and pupils narrowing rapidly in
response to the scent.
He was pulling Eren into him and crooning low, soothing assurances before his
mind was even fully awake, glaring at Hanji, assuming she was the cause of his
mate's sudden spike in anxiety.
The bruises on Levi's pale skin were purple and red, brightly contrasting and
painful to even look at. Even so, the alpha acted as though he did not feel any
pain from the still fresh injuries. He was healing, but it had only been a few
days and they looked far worse now that they had had time to set in.
Eren let the alpha pull him in, still shaking and letting out his whimpers of
fear even as his mate crooned to him and consoled him.
Hanji picked up the notepad, handing it to Levi and giving a slight nod as
though assuring the man she hadn't meant for Eren to get upset.
The alpha accepted the pad, one hand pressing Eren's face against the crook of
his neck as he looked over the words scrawled on the little pad of paper. He
growled, disrupting his croon a moment before it resumed.
He pressed his cheek against the crown of Eren's head, fingers rubbing against
the nape of his mate's neck soothingly. "I won't let him, Eren. He's living on
borrowed time. The next time I see him will be the last."
"I was careless. It won't happen again." his voice was still hoarse, but
sincere in his words, and he let the pad slip from his other hand to wrap his
arm around the omega's back protectively.
Eren desperately rubbed his face against the crook of Levi's neck, letting out
slight whines in almost disbelief. If the MP could beat Levi up and take Eren
away while the two were healthy, he couldn't imagine what would happen while
the two were in such a poor state.
The alpha tilted his head, allowing the omega better access to rub his face
against his neck and throat and he threaded his fingers through the soft hairs
at the back of the boy's neck. "I know it's hard to believe now, baby, but...
I'll be ready next time. I was too lax before... I'm sorry..." he whispered,
lips pressing repeatedly against the crown of his mate's head, uncaring of the
stiff dried blood clumping the normally soft strands together.
Hanji watched them for several long moments before she caught the alpha's eye,
jerking her chin at the laid out packages of food and moved to leave once he'd
made his understanding clear.
Eren pressed himself against Levi, his hands coming up to shakily tug at his
own hair rather roughly as though to ground himself and keep him in reality.
The sounds that escaped his throat were still panicked, but more helpless than
anything. He couldn't be taken again, he couldn't. He wouldn't be able to
handle it. He knew if it happened again, both he and the baby would die.
"No, don't do that, baby... It's okay... No one is going to take you from me
again," Levi said, carefully stilling Eren's hands and pulling them away from
his hair, holding them gently in his own.
"We have help now... Everyone here is willing to fight for us, Eren," he
assured softly, rubbing his thumbs over the boy's knuckles. "I'm so sorry,
baby. This is all my fault... But I promise I'll make it right..."
Eren's hands shook, but held onto Levi's tightly. He believed that everyone
here was willing to fight for them, but for how long? How long would they
survive? How long before the military police would get a hold of them?
One of Eren's hands fell from Levi's to rest on his stomach, the muscles tight
and sore from being encased in the crystal so long. Suddenly, his focus had
shifted from Erwin to his baby, and he found the notepad in his shaky hands
once more.
Is the baby alright?
Levi's gaze flickered over the notepad and he nodded. "Yeah, baby, you kept him
safe," he assured, voice wavering a little as he placed his hand over Eren's on
his belly. "He's probably hungry, though, do you want to try eating something?"
he prodded gently. They should both eat, especially Eren. He had no doubt that
the omega had been starved during his captivity, as was common with torture.
Eren looked down, giving a slight shake of his head. He felt so sick from not
eating these past few days that he felt like he couldn't eat anything at all.
He was afraid of getting sick again and he let out a slight cough, one that was
wet as though there was water in his lungs, which there probably was.
not hungry
The alpha frowned, "I know, baby, you probably feel sick, but you need
something. Why don't we see what Hanji brought us?" his tone was coaxing. He
had to get his mate to at least eat something. "Maybe Hanji has something to
keep nausea down..." The last part came as an afterthought and he cursed
himself for not asking the scientist before she had left. He bit the inside of
his cheek and inhaled a deep breath to calm his inner turmoil; it would be of
no help to his mate if he didn't stay calm.
Eren didn't say no, but he didn't say yes, either, simply watching as his alpha
unwrapped the packages of food. There were several sandwiches, most likely
cheese and maybe some beef. There was also an apple and a few pieces of bread
and butter
Levi looked over the spread of food, gauging what might be best for Eren to
attempt first. He selected a piece of bread, pulling it apart with his fingers,
offering a small chunk to the omega from between subtly trembling fingertips.
He'd feed Eren first and then worry about the gnawing emptiness in his own gut.
Eren took the small chunk of bread from Levi, examining it in his hands before
he slowly picked off tiny, barely visible pieces and began to press them
between his lips.
Levi watched him, holding the rest of the bread in one hand while his other
settled on the boy's side, massaging the flesh tenderly, encouraging his mate
to eat, offering more of the bread when Eren finished the first small chunk
he'd given him.
Eren took the bread and eventually moved on to eating bigger pieces. He took a
normal sized bite, though he had to revert back to picking off tiny pieces and
eating them because when he'd taken the bite, he couldn't quite get it down and
had ended up coughing and gulping down water to clear out his already sore
throat.
Levi rubbed the omega's back, crooning low when Eren nearly choked, helping him
hold the glass when he washed down the bread with several gulps of water, only
offering more of the food once the boy seemed to recover.
When Eren had finished off the first piece of bread, the alpha glanced at the
other food items at their side, "Do you want to try something else? There's
apples... Or do you want more bread?" he inquired. He patted at the pocket of
his trousers to be sure he still had his jackknife tucked there. He would be
able to slice the fruit for his mate if Eren decided he wanted it.
Eren shook his head. He was done eating for the time being. He was full,
despite the fact that he'd only eaten a bit of bread, and he didn't feel much
like choking anymore. He pushed the bread in Levi's hand toward the alpha,
motioning for him to eat as the omega laid back onto their makeshift bedroll
tiredly. He would try to eat more again later. He knew the baby needed it even
if he had no appetite.
Levi didn't argue, setting the bread aside instead of taking it for himself. He
instead picked up one of the sandwiches, eating it without tasting it, the
motion mechanical as he watched the boy curled so closely to him. He'd save the
bread and apple for Eren, probably some cheese too just in case. It was
important for the omega to get as much of the nutritious food as possible and
Levi would be sure he got it as soon as he could coax the brunette into eating
more.
"Why don't you get some more rest; I'll keep watch," he suggested before he
reached to take a sip of the water Hanji had brought for Eren which was nearly
finished. He offered the last of it to his mate before he reached for another
sandwich, ingesting it as swiftly as the first, satisfied when the hollowness
faded in his abdomen.
Eren finished off the last sip of water before he'd curled back up against
Levi, head in the alpha's lap. He wanted to speak with his alpha, but he
couldn't bring himself to. A part of him wanted to tell Levi what they'd done
to him, but he didn't want Levi to know. What if the alpha looked at him
differently?
He closed his eyes, hands still tightly pressed against his belly as he fell
back into a restless sleep.
Levi hummed and pet pale and stiff fingers through the boy's hair as Eren laid
in his lap, falling into a not quite peaceful slumber. The alpha simply kept
humming a soothing lullaby and smoothing the fingers of one hand through Eren's
hair, the other spreading over the omega's on his belly warmly. He watched him
while he slept, soothing him every time he became overly restless.
It was maybe two hours later, perhaps less when Hanji made another appearance,
Mikasa and Armin accompanying her. They had clean clothing, more bandages and
water as well as gear for both Levi and Eren. The omega was in no shape for
flying on his own yet, but he would eventually need the straps in case of
emergency. It was an upsetting consideration, but necessary. They had limited
time and could not afford to remain in the temporary housing they'd found in
the slums of the capital. They had to reach Shiganshina before the week was out
where they would be safer and could plan.
Armin looked more shocked and scared than Mikasa did at the state of Eren and
the captain. They'd already seen the captain's bruises and the bags under his
eyes, but today he seemed even worse as he watched over his omega.
Mikasa seemed to zone out, setting the clean clothes and bandages down on the
edge of the makeshift bed before she absentmindedly shuffled over to where the
prone omega slept, staring at Eren, rather than the captain.
She reached out a hand, the appendage hovering shakily over Eren as though she
wanted to touch him, maybe even shake him awake so she could hug him and ask
him if he was alright.
Levi's narrowed gaze followed the other alpha's movements as she approached. He
tensed a little, but didn't stop her from reaching out to touch her brother.
She'd fought to save him as they all had and she was part of Eren's family; he
couldn't refuse her the contact. He swallowed the growl that threatened to
sound from his throat and looked down at the sleeping shifter once again.
"I'll let you touch him," he said quietly, giving her permission through
gritted teeth, body still tensed, but unmoving.
Mikasa didn't say anything, grey eyes flicking up to meet Levi's before they
landed on Eren again. She gently placed her hand on Eren's shoulder, making the
omega flinch in his sleep, so she quickly pulled it away, hesitating before
finding a different spot on Eren's side to rest her hand on that seemed to be
better for the omega. "Where's he hurt?" Mikasa asked quietly.
Levi snorted softly, "Where isn't he hurt is a better question. I shouldn't
have let this happen," was his quiet response, gaze falling from the grey eyes
of the girl to where her hand rested on his mate's side. He brushed his own
hand over the strands of Eren's hair, tucking the locks behind his ear
distractedly.
"You're right, you shouldn't ha-"
"Mikasa," Armin hissed, quickly cutting the raven-haired girl off. Mikasa
glared at him, but didn't finish her sentence.
"Why hasn't he healed?" She asked instead.
Levi's jaw twitched; he didn't need her to tell him. He already knew he'd
failed his mate even though he hadn't been able to do much about it considering
what had happened. He'd tried desperately to stop them from taking Eren, but
had failed. It hurt to know he hadn't been capable enough.
His gaze flickered to the blonde omega a second before shifting to the female
alpha again. "I don't know... I think he's still too exhausted. Or maybe he
just can't. He protected the baby before himself for so long; his abilities are
probably exhausted, too," he replied, uncertain as to the reason that his mate
was still unhealed. When Eren woke, Levi was going to have to change his
bandages again and if there was no improvement, he may have to stitch the worst
of the wounds, which was not going to be pleasant for either of them.
Mikasa frowned, but nodded. "I'm going to kill those MP bastards," she hissed
under her breath before her eyes fell on the notepad resting on the floor not
far from the captain's leg. "What's...?" She questioned, eyes widening as she
picked it up, looking over the familiar scribbles. "What is this?"
"They'll get what they deserve for what they've done," he agreed, a growl in
the tone of his words before he glanced at what she had picked up. "He was
awake for a while. His throat's too sore to talk yet," he explained idly,
watching her as she looked over the scribbles on the pad.
“I doubt that,” Hanji corrected. “He’s been able to make noises. It’s not
uncommon for those who have suffered trauma to refuse to talk,” she explained,
her eyes on the boy in question, “I think he’s keeping silent for a reason.”
Levi knew she was right. He growled low in his throat and rubbed his thumb over
Eren's temple.
"He'll talk when he's ready. Erwin... Whatever that son of a bitch said and
did, Eren is afraid to tell me, but he will. He did before and he was scared
then, too," he said after a few moments of silent thought. Before Eren had
fallen asleep again, there'd been something in his gaze that Levi had chosen
not to draw attention to, more concerned about the omega getting more rest. And
if he were being honest with himself, he wasn't sure he was ready to know what
the blonde bastard had done to strike such fear into his mate.
“He thinks Erwin is going to find him and kill him,” Hanji explained to Armin,
who hadn’t seen the notepad yet.
“Sir, Eren has kept a lot of secrets from us in the past, but he always tells
you,” Armin assured the captain. “Maybe once we’re further from the capital,
he’ll feel safe to speak. Maybe Erwin and whoever else was involved didn’t
allow him to speak, maybe he was punished for it,” Armin guessed. Sometimes,
the kid was too smart for his own good. He could guess a dozen other things
Erwin had done to Eren, but he didn’t want to think about it. “At least… At
least he held out for the baby’s sake.”
Levi hummed in response, nodding once, grateful for the blonde's words though
he didn't say so. He looked back down at his mate, eyes warm and a little sad.
He wanted to see Eren's smiling face again, hear his laugh that was damn
contagious. He wanted to be back in their bed making love lazily and teasing
one another, talking about the future, listening to Eren read to the baby,
everything that they had before now, but it was gone and maybe it would come
back eventually. Maybe it wouldn't...
 
***** Heartache *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
After about a day and a half, they had decided they couldn’t stay in their
makeshift base any longer. The military police would surely find them there,
and Eren and Levi were at least somewhat well enough to travel. They couldn’t
go by 3DMG, as it would be too obvious. They had collected horses and decided
it would be the best form of transportation for the timebeing, obviously in
disguises despite the fact the place was abandoned. Of course they would have
their 3DMG, but it would be covered up by cloaks. Even Eren had 3DMG, despite
the fact he probably wouldn’t be able to use it; he was still in no condition.
He’d healed up a bit, but nothing well enough to be considered his Titan
healing, simple scabbing over of the most superficial wounds. The omega still
hadn’t said a word to anyone, though he’d opened his mouth as though he was
going to speak to Levi at least several times now. Eren would most likely need
stitches once they got to their destination, as the horse ride and possible
3DMG would open up the weak scabs of the more severe wounds. Hanji had been
holding off on allowing Eren to have stitches because they didn’t want to fuck
up any progress they’d made with Eren emotionally. The boy would let Hanji,
Armin, and Mikasa touch him now and sit next to him without flinching. They
just needed to find a way to make his powers kick in.
Levi had his arms wrapped around his mate, the reins of the horse they shared
held loosely in his grip. They were getting close to the place they'd prepared
for their base, but it would still be a few hours yet. He pressed his mouth
close to the shifter's ear, speaking in quiet tones, "You okay, baby? You want
to stop for a little rest?"
It had been hard being around his mate the way Eren was now, so quiet and
withdrawn, but Levi had not left his side, unable to be apart from the pregnant
omega for more than a few minutes without intense anxiety flaring, especially
because Eren was still so vulnerable. Levi's bruises were fading faster than
the boy's and it was disconcerting in the most profound way. Levi was
constantly on edge, hardly sleeping and only eating when Hanji pressed him to,
all of his concern on his omega and their baby. He knew by now that Eren wanted
to speak, but had still remained hesitant in actually verbalizing what his
continued nightmares entailed and Levi didn't push him, soothing him as best he
could and waiting, just waiting for the moment when Eren would be unable to
keep it in anymore. He was doing his best to be available for when that time
came.
Eren shook his head, leaning back against Levi as his hands rested on his
protruding belly beneath the cape covering it up. He’d been on edge for most of
the trip, but now it was calming, the way the horse trotted, gently rocking
them back and forth. It would be better if they had a wagon, as many of the
scouts' soldiers had injuries as well, but the wagon would be much too slow if
they ran into trouble. He laced his fingers with Levi’s over his belly, gently
stroking the alpha’s hand and his knuckles. Eren was silent, but affectionate.
He wouldn’t let go of Levi without a fight, even if the man just wanted to use
the bathroom. The omega didn’t need to be able to speak to get his way.
He would feel better once they reached their destination. He would feel safer,
and he would feel his baby was safer. Though, he was beginning to get a bit
nervous. This stress they were faced with, it could cause the baby to come
early. Even Eren’s crystal abilities couldn’t protect the baby from early
labour.
The omega had been protecting and loving on his stomach more than usual.
Though, the baby would often stir under Eren’s touch, upset that it didn’t hear
its mother's voice after so many months of being showered in his words.
The alpha nodded and rested his chin on Eren's shoulder, giving the fingers
threaded with his own a little squeeze. His other hand pressed against the
mound hidden under the omega's cloak warmly. It was almost relaxing like this,
but Levi couldn't be lax, couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that had
settled in the pit of his stomach since they'd left the capital.
The ground shook abruptly beneath them before there were shouts from ahead and
behind. Mikasa, Jean, and several others shot off on their 3DMG immediately
when the black flares started trailing in the air overhead. Titans had been
spotted. There'd been a breech. Distantly, there was the echo of gunshots and
Levi felt the dread rise up like bile in his throat. No... There was no breech;
the monsters had been invited.
Hanji was at his side along with Armin almost instantly, the woman reaching for
the reins as Levi let them go, squeezing Eren and pressing heavy kisses to his
temple, "I have to go, baby... I'm so sorry... Stay with Hanji and Armin...
I'll come back, I promise..." He had to go help the recruits; they already had
half the numbers of the corps and couldn't afford to lose any. Their fight was
hardly over.
Eren shook, whipping around frantically to look at Levi, eyes filled with
worry. He shook his head, lips quivering. He pushed his cloak back, readying
his own 3DMG.
“No, Eren, you can’t go with him,” Hanji quickly spoke up. “You’ve got to stay
with me; Levi will be fine.”
Eren ignored the woman, hands shaking slightly as he tried to insert blades
into his gear, his soldier instincts overpowering him. He'd regretted it when
he hadn’t fought nearly a year ago when Levi’s squad had been killed. He
couldn’t make the same mistake again. He’d nearly forgotten that he was
pregnant.
Levi's hands grasped Eren's, holding them tightly and stilling his frantic
movements, "No, baby, you have to stay... You have to protect our baby and I
have to protect the both of you," He murmured in a near whisper, words rushed.
He could already hear screams, whether from their enemies or their comrades, he
couldn't know.
Adrenaline was coursing through him. He had to go, even if it felt like he was
tearing his own heart out leaving Eren behind in the care of someone else.
Hanji and Armin would protect the omega; he could trust them, but it didn't
matter. It should be him.
Eren looked pleadingly at the alpha with fear in his eyes.
“Levi, hurry. We’ve got him,” Hanji assured, looking to Armin. Armin quickly
handed Hanji the reins of his horse so he could maneuver over to take the
captain’s place behind Eren and hold on to the fellow omega to keep him from
following Levi. Eren panicked, struggling for a moment, but as soon as he
caught sight of Levi’s eyes, he knew he had to let the man go. He stilled
himself in Armin’s grasp, reaching out to grip at Levi’s hand just for one more
moment.
Levi growled low at Hanji's prompting, but moved, already preparing to take to
the air. His fingers grasped and slipped from his mate's, eyes meeting,
mouthing his love for the boy silently before he was gone, taking flight with a
hiss of gas and the metallic scraping of blades released.
He followed the sounds of screams and shots, far lesser than they had been and
found the other members of their group already engaged in battle. Bodies
(thankfully dressed in majority from the military police force, all young, all
recruits, naive and following orders) were everywhere, half eaten and broken,
steaming carcasses of downed Titans left to disintegrate as his brats
maneuvered after the lumbering forms of others, more than twenty, perhaps
closer to thirty. The Titans were more interested in the MP recruits that were
firing rifles in uncoordinated panic, the sound luring the monsters right to
them and Levi cursed under his breath. The poor kids didn't stand a chance;
under trained, still green and unprepared for the position their superiors has
put them in. It was a shame and Levi was disgusted, both by the realization
that the MP had deemed these children expendable and at his own gratitude that
it was their screams that coloured the air and their blood staining the ground
rather than that of his own soldiers.
He spotted Mikasa and veered through a pair of slow three and five meters,
spinning with his blades to destroy the napes of both with practiced efficiency
as he made his way to the girl. With her and himself taking the brunt of the
attacks, the others could collectively assist and pick off the Titans more
easily.
As Eren, Armin, and Hanji rode through the chaos, Eren was shocked for a moment
when he saw a body on the ground. It was now an MP soldier, Eren had realized,
but for a moment, Eren thought he'd been seeing himself.
The young soldier was face down, chestnut hair matted with blood, his body
quite long and lean, much like Eren’s. For a moment, Eren thought he’d died and
he was looking at his own corpse. He’d never really had a fear of death. Hell,
his nickname was ‘suicidal bastard.’ But now that he had a baby and a mate, he
was beginning to become… Terrified of it. He was scared of dying. He wanted to
live.
He was scared of Levi dying, of the baby dying. That’s why when he felt a
sudden surge of pain though his abdomen, he hunched over in panic. He was only
five months! It was too early for labour, and it was too early for even false
contractions. He was so scared he would lose the baby.
Hanji was focused on killing any Titans or military police soldiers that
managed to come into their path, which was very few, but this left Armin and
Eren on their own on the horse.
Armin felt Eren tense and then hunch over and managed to steady him enough to
keep them both on the horse, pressing his heels desperately against the
animal's sides to speed their progress. Something was obviously wrong with his
friend. His scent was pained and Armin's flared with fear and concern. They
needed to get to safety, especially before Levi could possibly catch the scent.
"Eren! Eren, hold on!" He shouted over the rushing air, head whipping from side
to side in search of Hanji. He signaled her desperately when he caught sight of
her riding the body of a dying Titan back to the ground. "Something's wrong
with Eren!" He shouted when she was within earshot once again.
Hanji looked at them in concern. “What’s wrong with him?” Hanji asked, landing
back on her horse as she looked over at the two behind her.
“I don’t know!” Armin yelled desperately. “He’s in pain.”
“Oh dear,” Hanji replied, running a hand through her already messy hair. It
could be a number of things. It could be serious, or it may not be serious. But
Eren couldn’t tell them what type of pain he was feeling and if it was serious,
they needed to get to safety soon.
“We’ll be there soon enough. Just hold onto him, Armin,” Hanji assured the
blonde omega.
Eren let out a slightly shaky whine and for the first time since his nightmare,
his lips formed a word. “Levi.” It was all he could manage get out and all he
could think about. The pain wasn’t unbearable, but it couldn’t mean anything
good. If Eren lost the baby… If he lost the baby when Levi'd trusted him to
protect it, Eren didn’t know what he would do. He was doing everything he could
to keep the baby safe.
Armin held his friend tighter against him and spurred the horse on ever faster,
determined to get them to safety as soon as possible. He heard Eren call Levi
and wanted to cry. The alpha could not come to him. If he knew, Levi would
definitely come, but both Hanji and Armin had agreed that regardless of what
happened, they could not afford for Levi to be distracted. He shushed Eren and
tried to make his words soothing, "He'll be here soon, Eren... We'll all be
safe soon. Just hang on until Hanji can have a look at you... It won't be
long..." He assured even if he didn't believe his own words wholeheartedly; he
just needed to try and comfort the other omega.
Luckily the number of Titans dropped dramatically, the recruits well-trained
and driven by their need to protect their comrades. Their casualty count was
low, perhaps only two or three, two of which had been shot by wayward bullets
from MP guns whilst attending to the Titans. No more than that though as the
remaining enemy soldiers became fodder for the last of the monsters,
effectively sparing the rest of the corps' soldiers.
Levi was frantic when the last of the beasts fell, already searching for his
mate, adrenaline making him swift, movements erratic in his pursuit, that dread
still lodged bitterly at the back of his throat.
By then, Hanji, Armin, and Eren were at least two miles ahead of the rest of
the group, frantic to find safety.
“Here!” Hanji yelled. She turned her horse down an alleyway, prompting Armin to
follow. They turned down several corners until they’d found a suitable place.
It was a house, or used to be a house. One for a family. It was long empty now,
but hidden enough that it wouldn’t look like a place where people could be
hiding. “Armin, I’ll take Eren inside, you head back to find the others and
tell them we’ve had to make an emergency stop,” Hanji ordered quickly.
===============================================================================
 
“Captain, they’ll be sending reinforcements soon. We should go,” one soldier
suggested.
“As much as I want to kill those MP assholes, I agree,” Mikasa said darkly, “We
can’t worry about them now.” Their main concern was getting the rest of the
living soldiers to safety before any more military police or Titans arrived.
Levi nodded his affirmation, gaze still flickering about, both worried and
relieved that he did not see his mate on the field, but he could not shake the
feeling that something was incredibly wrong.
When he caught sight of a familiar blonde head of hair heading their way as
they were leaving, without Hanji or Eren, Levi felt his stomach drop and he
immediately shot off to meet the omega halfway.
"What's happened?! Where is he!?" His voice was high with worry and he could
feel the tremors in muscles that were wound too tight.
“He’s with Hanji, sir, they’ve had to stop off someplace-- Eren’s hurt, I don’t
know what’s wrong,” Armin said frantically, “He keeps asking for you.”
Mikasa didn’t hesitate to snap the reins of her horse, shooting past Armin to
head in the direction where Armin said Eren would be.
Levi swore heatedly and took off after the other alpha, desperation quickening
his movements as he flew through the air. It was faster than a horse and he had
no time to waste.
He was sweaty and panting by the time he made it to the house, Mikasa skidding
to a halt just behind him. He dropped his gear as he ran into the little
building, following the potent scent of distress.
"Eren!" He was calling out even before he made it to where Hanji was looking
the boy over. Levi rushed to the pair, falling onto his knees next to the
omega, fear making his heart feel as if it might explode from his chest,
pleading desperately with whatever cosmic force that loved to hate him to let
it be nothing serious.
"What's wrong!? Is... Is it...?" He couldn't even get the rest of the words
out, reaching to comfort the boy, his scent enveloping them, Mikasa's forcing
its way in as well as she knelt at Eren's other side next to Hanji, worry in
her stormy eyes. Levi crooned without conscious thought, so used to providing
the simple comfort for his mate.
“It’s nothing serious,” Hanji quickly spoke up. “It’s not serious.” They all
took breaths of relief, including Eren. “It’s a false alarm.”
Eren gripped Levi’s hand, eyes teary as he drew in shaky breaths, head tossing
back as the omega winced in pain.
“They’re false contractions from stress. It’s much too early for them...” Hanji
spoke quietly. “It may not be life threateningly serious, but it is still cause
for concern,” Hanji took a breath. “If they continue, the baby could…” Die...
She didn’t voice that, though; she didn’t want to.
Levi squeezed Eren's hand in his, silver eyes meeting Hanji's, immediately
understanding the words she was not saying and he swallowed hard, jaw tensing
as he bit into his cheek.
He placed his other hand on Eren's belly, palm spread wide over the tense flesh
and he bent to rest his forehead and lips next to where his hand rested, his
other hand entwined with his mate's.
"Hey, baby... It's not time yet for you to come out, no matter how much we want
you already," he cooed quietly, rubbing soothing circles with his fingertips as
he spoke. He glanced up at his mate's pained face before he moved his own to
hover over Eren's, "You have to calm down, love, I know you were scared, but
it's okay. We're all alright... Just breathe," he whispered, pressing his
forehead to Eren's, their sweat mingling on their skin and he demonstrated,
inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly.
Eren closed his eyes, pressing his forehead back against Levi’s, nodding. He’d
already been trying to calm down, but it was much easier now that Levi was with
him. He took deep, calming breaths, opening his eyes again to meet Levi’s. “He
can’t come out yet,” Eren spoke, voice barely audible and hoarse from disuse
and a raw throat.
"He won't," Levi assured the omega gently, giving his hand another squeeze and
caressing the boy's knuckles with the pad of his calloused thumb, other hand
still pressed to the fluttering and tensed curve of Eren's stomach. His own
scent was forced calm, protective and soothing. "I told you he was going to be
an impatient brat just like you," he whispered lightly, pressing a teasing kiss
to Eren's nose. "It's a good thing I know how to handle brats." He'd all but
forgotten the two women in the room with them as he focused entirely on
soothing the omega, desperate to get the false labour under control before any
irreparable damage was done.
“He talked,” Mikasa whispered, and Hanji nodded.
“He’s been saying Levi’s name for the last half hour,” Hanji replied.
“Don’t let him come out,” Eren whispered, hand coming up to cup Levi’s cheek
"Baby, he's not going to come out, not yet... I promise... You just keep
breathing nice and slow," Levi coached quietly, eyes staring into Eren's with
all the emotion the boy incited in him, and he leaned into the soft touch on
his cheek, hardly hearing the words the women spoke.
The first thing Eren had coherently spoken aside from the word 'no' when they'd
rescued him had been his name, but Levi didn't bother to voice the thought,
happy to let the two converse with one another while he concentrated on Eren.
"That's it... You're doing so good, baby," he was cooing as the omega's breaths
began to regulate, not as shaky or as laboured as they had been.
"The captain's a good alpha," Mikasa said as if the realization had only just
dawned on her, though Eren had been trying to tell her so all along and she had
always known deep down that the older man would take good care of her brother.
Eren didn't need her to protect him from everything anymore.
“He is,” Hanji agreed, never having thought otherwise, her hand moving to check
Eren’s pulse. “His heart rate is calming down.”
Eren continued taking calm breaths, eyes still locked on Levi’s. “I don’t want
anything to happen to him,” Eren breathed, wiping the sweat from his forehead,
“I was afraid-- I--“ Eren shook his head, looking around cautiously before his
mouth snapped shut again.
Levi brushed sweat damp locks of hair behind Eren's ear tenderly, "Shh it's
okay, baby. You're both gonna be just fine. Why were you so afraid? You can
tell me..." Levi cooed, still brushing his fingers through the soft, damp
chocolate strands and staring down at the mildly panting boy fondly.
Mikasa was silent, watching for several long moments before she stood up, going
to the entrance and peering out cautiously in case they had been followed by
any enemies, but it was only the three horses grazing idly. She could hear hoof
beats closing in and stayed hidden in the shadow of the doorway until she could
be sure of who it was coming their way. It was likely Armin, but they couldn't
afford to be presumptuous.
Hanji made a soft sound of understanding and busied herself with the gear by
the doorway Mikasa had just left through, giving the pair as much privacy as
possible, whilst being able to keep an eye on the seemingly stabilizing omega.
It had been a close call.
Eren shook his head, bringing Levi down closer so his lips were against the
alpha’s ear. “You left,” He whispered, barely audible, “Erwin could come back
and Nile and--“ The omega shuddered. “I didn’t know what I’d do if they found
me again...”
Levi's breath hitched ever so softly and he pressed his nose behind his mate's
ear. "I know it's hard to believe, baby, but I'm not going to let them do that
again. I'll do everything I can to make sure they can't hurt you or our baby
ever again. I'm so sorry, Eren... I didn't... I didn't want to leave, but I...
I had to to keep you both safe..." He whispered hoarsely behind the boy's ear.
He didn't think there were enough apologies in the universe to make up for his
failure, but he would do everything in his power to become infallible.
“They’re going to hear me,” Eren whispered, “When I talk, I’m afraid they’ll
hear me.” His voice broke off in a hitched sob. He understood why Levi had had
to leave, but it still terrified him. Even with all the scouts around, he felt
like it wouldn’t be enough to protect him or the baby.
"They can't, not while I'm around. Not while I'm protecting you. And Hanji
wouldn't let them either. Baby, they can't hear you from wherever they are and
even if they could, I'll never let them close to you again."
“I don’t want them to take me again,” Eren half-sobbed, half-wailed as he
propped himself up to pull himself closer to Levi, burying his face in his
alpha’s neck. “It was so bad, Levi, it was so bad.” He clung to his alpha,
squeezing his eyes shut and seeking comfort in the only person who ever managed
to make him feel safe anymore.
Levi held him tight. "I know, baby, I know... And you were so strong, Eren...
I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner... So fucking sorry..." He whispered, voice
harsh with emotion. One hand was in Eren's hair, threaded through the strands
at the back of his head and his other arm held him tightly, palm flat on the
small of his back, his belly pressed between them snugly, but not
uncomfortably. "They can't hurt you while I'm here... Never again, baby...
Never again..."
Eren’s fingers twisted into the back of Levi’s shirt in a white-knuckled grip.
He let out another sob, this one of relief, but he quickly tried to calm
himself down as he remembered the false contractions that racked through his
body. “I missed you,” Eren whispered, voice cracking. “I don’t ever want to be
away from you for that long again.” He now associated being away from Levi with
physical torture.
Levi rubbed his back and pet his hair, a low croon rumbling in his chest to
facilitate in keeping his mate from getting too worked up.
"I don't want you out of my sight either. I can't promise that it won't happen,
like today, but I will do everything I can to get back to you as soon as
possible. Never more than a few hours if possible and as long as I can still
stand... I'll come back to you... Always, Eren... Always... I need my heart to
live."
"I don't know if I would be able to protect the baby for that long again. I was
so scared you'd come back and it would be dead, that I would've failed you,"
Eren said shakily.
"Oh, baby, I'd never think that... I'd never blame you... Even if... It would
tear me apart inside, but it would never be your fault... I'm the one that
failed you... I should've been there sooner... I should have never let them
take you away from me... Never again..." He assured. He would spend the rest of
his life making up for his failure. Even if Eren forgave him, he would never
forgive himself.
"Is that... Is that why you aren't healing?" He asked softly, lips brushing
against the soft skin of Eren's temple. Had Eren been keeping himself from
healing his own wounds as some kind of penance, some misplaced guilt over what
had happened?
“I-I don’t know,” Eren admitted, voice hardly more than a strangled whisper. “I
just can’t. I just can't do it. I feel so weak and I don’t know why I can’t
pull myself together.”
"Shh, it's okay... It's okay... You don't have to... I'll take care of you if
you can't... Don't try to force it... Maybe that's part of the problem... Just
let it happen if it happens... If not, that's okay too..." Levi assured
soothingly, hugging Eren tighter for a second or two before loosening his grip
enough to look into beautiful green eyes, fingertips brushing over slowly
fading bruises with gentle reverence. "I've missed your voice so much... I love
you... Don't ever forget that..." He whispered, liquid mercury dark with
intensity.
“I couldn’t forget that,” Eren whispered. “I love you too.” His hands fell down
to rest on his stomach again. “I just want things to go back to the way to they
were, I don’t want it to be like this anymore; I don’t want to feel this pain
anymore.”
"I think... The future that will come from this pain will make it worth it...
It is shitty now and I wish we could be back in our bed cuddling too, but we
were always going to have to fight at some point. I wish... I wish so fucking
badly that this hadn't happened this way, but I have to believe we'll still
have our future free of these walls... I'm not going to give that up," the
alpha said with conviction in the words. He paused, pressing a kiss to Eren's
bruised cheek, then the other, his forehead, temples, eyelids, nose, chin and
finally his lips, "Pain isn't permanent, baby. It's going to make victory that
much sweeter. When we're free, I'm going to make your sister and that coconut
watch our brats and keep you all to myself for whole days and when I'm not
keeping you in bed, we'll take the brats out to the ocean and I don't know what
else. Whatever you want, love. We just have to make it to that future."
Eren nodded slowly, reaching up to tangle his hand in Levi’s hair. “I can’t
wait for that,” Eren whispered, fingers massaging Levi’s scalp. “Just four more
months and we’ll have our baby.”
The alpha hummed his approval at the feel of those fingers in his hair. "Is it
really so soon? Means I've only got four months left with you all to myself,"
he replied lightly, the ghost of a smile flickering on his lips. In that
moment, he could almost forget what would happen in those four months, what
more pain they would have to endure. He could almost pretend they were in their
bed and not on a filthy floor of some abandoned shack probably an hour from
their safe house. He could almost forget they needed a safe house. He wanted to
be wrapped up in and around his mate and just rest and maybe they would get a
brief reprieve once they were there, but they only had four months left to
change the world.
Eren smiled slightly. “I guess you’ll just have to learn to share,” he
whispered, voice tired as the ache of the still fresh wounds radiated through
his body. He really wished he would heal and he wished the baby wasn’t in such
distress.
Levi rubbed his hand over Eren's pregnant belly affectionately as he replied in
an almost petulant teasing tone, "You're going to love the brat more than me, I
just know it... How am I going to stand a chance against my own kid?"
He heaved a sigh and kissed Eren again tenderly before he pulled away from him.
"Do you want some more pain medicine before we leave? As long as Hanji thinks
you're recovered enough, we can make it to the safe house before nightfall and
sleep in a real bed."
“I don’t think I can have any more medication without hurting the baby,” Eren
said quietly. He sat up a bit, holding onto his stomach carefully. “We can go
if we go slow… I’m still having pains and I’m afraid the horse ride will make
it worse.”
Levi looked sympathetic and rubbed his palms up and down Eren's sides and back
soothingly. "Okay, we'll go slow. I'm sure Mikasa has sent the others on ahead
of us anyways. Do you want anything to eat before we go?"
“Just water,” Eren said, practically purring in response to the feel of those
strong hands rubbing at his sides and back. God, it felt good to be touched by
his alpha. “You should have something to eat and drink though; you’ve been
killing Titans.”
“Mm, I will if you at least have some apples with your water," Levi agreed,
presenting his ultimatum simply, still touching Eren, hands slipping under
clothing since Hanji had removed Eren's straps while he had been in pain, to
brush along bruised smooth skin with the occasional scrape of a scab beneath
the caress of his fingers.
“Alright,” Eren agreed quietly, resting his head on Levi’s shoulder. “I will.
The baby is probably hungry,” he admitted.
"Isn't he always hungry?" The alpha questioned teasingly, one hand ruffling the
boy's hair.
He tossed a look over to the doorway where Hanji was obviously eavesdropping,
pretending to be looking for something, but actually pulling out the requested
food items that she had overheard as well as water packs.
“He is. He’s going to have little chubby cheeks, isn’t he?” Eren asked quietly,
still leaning against his alpha as he watched Hanji, who soon entered further
into the room with the food.
"Probably... He'll most likely look like you, brat," Levi replied, eyes
twinkling warmly, teasing but not. He hoped their child looked like Eren.
“You guys don’t happen to be hungry, do you?” Hanji questioned, smirking a
little.
The alpha scoffed, "Don't even try to pretend you weren't peeping on us,
shitty-glasses. Bring the food over here. Might as well have a damn picnic
before we get a fucking move on. I seriously want to sleep in a bed tonight."
“I don’t think my back can handle sleeping on the floor again,” Eren murmured
in agreement, taking an apple from Hanji as well as a knife, but he handed both
to Levi. He didn’t quite trust his shaky hands with a knife. He couldn’t afford
losing a finger right now.
The alpha accepted the fruit and knife without a thought, slicing it up
expertly into thin wedges for his mate, popping one into his own mouth before
offering one to Eren.
"What floor? You sleep on top of me, brat; I'm the one that can't stand up
straight in the morning," he commented, accepting water from a snickering
Hanji.
“You’re not growing a human, so you can’t complain,” Eren replied lightly,
smiling as he looked down at the apple slices in his hand, which in turn just
made Hanji snicker louder.
"Wasn't a complaint, love, just an observation. I'm honestly not going to say
I'd trade places with you if I could because I wouldn't. I'd rather take care
of you than be in your position," he replied in a low nonchalant tone before
taking a drink of his water.
Hanji grinned, "Oh, and let's not forgot how much fun you had putting him in
that position, hm?" She said cheekily, winking at the omega.
"Well yes, there is that too," the alpha replied blandly, even as a smirk crept
into the corner of his lips.
Eren gave a shy smile, taking a bite of one of the apple slices. “I don’t think
Levi would last more than a month of being pregnant.”
"Definitely not, since he'd have to give up his precious black tea. He'd be so
cranky," Hanji agreed, slapping the alpha on the back roughly. Levi gave a
long, suffering sigh.
"Why are we talking about this?"
“To defer from my physical and emotional pain,” Eren replied, popping another
apple slice into his mouth. He figured since no one laughed, it wasn’t exactly
funny. He cleared his hoarse throat, drinking some water.
Levi shook his head and placed one hand on Eren's thigh, giving a little
squeeze. "If it helps you feel better, love, I'm yours to abuse," he assured,
not moving his hand from his mate's upper leg even though his gaze was on the
sandwich in his other hand. He took a bite and chewed slowly, feeling more
content than he had in days despite what had happened earlier on.
Eren took the hand Levi had placed on his thigh, lacing their fingers. He
closed his eyes, leaning against the man. He honestly could have fallen asleep.
Or- he actually did.
It was about twenty minutes later when Hanji was standing up, causing Eren to
open his eyes. The sandwich in Levi’s hand was long gone and so was the apple,
and the sun was just a tad lower in the sky.
Levi got to his feet as well and offered Eren a hand up, pulling his pregnant
mate onto his feet and steadying him automatically. "Time to get going, brat.
That bed is calling us."
They rode double again and not too fast, but it only took an hour and a half
more for them to reach the safe house where the rest of their group including
Mikasa and Armin were awaiting their arrival.
There were several rooms in the structure, including a kitchen and bathroom
with working water. The other rooms had been made into sleeping areas, sleeping
two to four soldiers a piece. Levi and Eren had their own, of course, and Hanji
had coaxed Armin and Mikasa into rooming with her in the room across from the
couple, which really didn't require much convincing on her part, both youths
wishing to remain close to their omega friend.
Eren was so sleepy once they’d arrived. They all were tired, but the omega
often swayed a bit like a sleepy child who hadn’t had their usual nap. Once he
and Levi had chosen their room, Eren was relieved. But he couldn’t go to bed
yet, despite the way his body begged for it. He walked nearly twice around the
whole building, checking every crevice and corner in every room as though to
make sure there wasn’t something- or someone, in there. He’d checked around his
and Levi’s room at least a dozen times by now. The omega seemed zoned out,
hands shaky as he examined and reexamined every cabinet and closet, eyes hollow
throughout.
Levi had followed his mate around as Eren checked and rechecked their
accommodations, watching him from his seated position on the edge of the bed in
only his underwear once they had finally made it back to their room which was
not overly spacious, but still moderately so.
"Love," he called gently as he watched the boy open and close the same cabinet
he had already checked over several times. And when Eren simply continued,
moving on to the next cabinet, Levi got up and caught the boy in his arms,
"It's enough now, baby. There are scouts on watch just outside and the windows
are barred... I'm here and no one is going to get in without sounding an alarm.
We won't be caught off guard." He said quietly, repeating words both he and
Hanji had already spoken to the boy earlier.
"You need rest, love, for you and the baby. Come lay in bed with me. I'll watch
over you while you sleep," he coaxed, arms wrapped around the boy from behind,
hands resting along Eren's belly as he placed his chin on the omega's shoulder,
nuzzling the side of his neck.
Eren sighed, seemingly snapping out of his daze as he leaned back into his
alpha in exhaustion, relief washing over him. “Yeah… I... Guess you’re right,”
Eren whispered, closing his eyes as he sank into his alpha’s embrace. “You
promise?” He asked quietly, barely audible.
Levi pressed his chest to Eren's back and swayed them a bit, "I'd never lie to
you, love," he said, turning his head to plant a soft kiss at the side of
Eren's throat, careful of the slow healing burns there.
“I know,” Eren whispered, voice scratchy. He knew his alpha would never lie to
him, especially about something so important. He placed his hands on top of
Levi’s on his stomach, leaning his head back and letting out another sigh. “I
just want to heal,” he whined desperately, knowing full well both he and Levi
had to have their bandages changed before bed, and Eren possibly needed
stitches. He just wanted to wake up and feel like he had before he was even
pregnant.
Levi kissed the boy's neck again and hugged him a little tighter before he was
walking the both of them to the bed where rolls of fresh bandaging and other
medical supplies were laid out.
"I know you do, baby," he sighed against the skin, "I want that too... You
ready to let me stitch you up?"
“No,” Eren murmured tiredly, sighing, “I don’t want to.” He pursed his lips
like a pouting child.
Levi smiled at the petulant response and hummed. "I'm sorry, love, but unless
you figure out how to kick your abilities into gear, the wounds in your
shoulders need to be treated the same as the rest of us poor shits," he replied
after a moment, reluctant to let go of his mate. "Mm, you want to do mine
first?"
“Yeah, I’ll do yours first,” Eren replied quietly, pulling away from Levi
slightly to pick up the bandages on the bed, rewrapping the alpha’s hands
first, the ones that had been cut up by the rusty chains. “I don’t want to get
stitches like you poor shits,” Eren murmured. Eren had never been one to be
afraid of pain, but now things had changed.
Levi tilted his head, watching Eren from beneath lowered lashes. "I know you
don't and I know why, but the wounds can't stay open as they are. They'll never
heal properly and take twice as long and if you get an infection, it will be
bad for you and the baby," he replied, lifting his already rewrapped hand to
run through his hair.
"I'll be as gentle as I can," he promised, catching Eren's hand in his own when
the omega had finished winding the bandages around it.
“I don’t like needles even more now,” Eren said quietly, checking over Levi’s
bare chest and back for any minor scrapes that needed to be bandaged, but most
of his injuries from the MP had been severe bruising, though his back was a bit
scratched up.
Levi closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose, quelling the anger
that threatened to flare up in his gut. He could imagine why that was, even if
Eren had not explained the torture he'd endured in any sort of detail. After
all, he'd seen every injury that now marred his beautiful tanned skin. He
wanted Eren to tell him when he was ready and he wouldn't push, but he couldn't
just leave the most severe wounds untreated any longer. They didn't know how
long it would be before the boy's abilities returned.
"I understand... Do you want me to go see if Hanji has a mild sedative you can
take before I do it?" He asked, out of other ideas to make the experience more
comfortable for his omega.
“I don’t know if there are any that won’t hurt the baby,” Eren replied. “I know
she has pain medication, but I don’t know about sedatives. If she says it’s
alright,” Eren said. He wouldn’t take any medication that would put his baby at
risk. And Eren knew Levi would never allow him to take anything harmful,
either.
"Of course," Levi agreed before he moved to the door, leaving it open so that
Eren could still see him as he knocked on the door across the hall and spoke
quietly to a groggy and sleep ruffled Hanji.
When he returned, he held up a little jar of light green cream. "No sedatives,
but she had numbing lotion. Should do the trick."
Eren nodded. He pulled his shirt off over his head with a wince, setting it
aside on the bed as he laid down on his side to give Levi access to any wounds
he wanted to stitch up. “What about the burns? Will you stitch those up?” Eren
asked quietly, brows furrowing. He didn’t really see how Levi would be able to
stitch up burns. It was just… Missing skin. Levi would probably only be able to
stitch up the cuts.
"Just the punctures on your shoulders, love. Everything else is superficial.
I'll put some ointment on the burns and smaller wounds and bandage them again.
The injuries on your shoulders are the worst of it and the highest risk for
infection without being properly closed," he explained, moving to seat himself
beside his mate and begin. He opened the jar and scooped out a dollop of the
numbing agent before applying it to the flesh around the wounds.
Once finished, he wiped his hands clean on a cloth and carefully threaded a
curved, sharp and thin needle. He hummed idly as he calculated minutes.
He pricked the flesh that he had applied the lotion to, "Feel that?"
Eren flinched, though he couldn’t feel it as much as he knew he should’ve. “A
little,” he replied, burying his face into the pillow. “It’s alright, it
doesn’t hurt that bad.”
Levi shook his head and set the needle onto the cloth, applying a little more
lotion to the areas. "No, you don't have to feel it at all, baby. I don't want
to hurt you. Just another minute or two," he said, wiping his fingers again.
The next time he touched the needle to Eren's skin, the omega didn't even
flinch and Levi hummed his satisfaction, leaning over to get to work. It didn't
take long since the wounds weren't particularly wide, their depth being what
made the stitches a necessity at all.
He snipped the thread on the last stitch and gathered everything up to place on
the little table next to the head of the bed save for a roll of bandages and
the ointment to speed the healing. "All done... Can you sit up for me so I can
wrap you up again?"
Eren rolled onto his back and sat up, fingers running over some of the stitches
on his shoulder. It was strange, having Levi give him medical attention like
this. It was usually the other way around. “That wasn’t so bad,” he admitted.
It still wasn't pleasant, knowing there had been a needle going in and out of
his skin, but he hadn't been able to feel any pain.
"The wounds were not very big, just deep. It could have been much worse," Levi
said as he tenderly applied the healing ointment to the various other injuries,
paying careful attention to the burns and small surface punctures of the
omega's arms before he was rewrapping almost all of Eren's upper body.
Once finished, the alpha tossed to excess cream and bandages with the others on
the night stand and pulled Eren down to the mattress with him, spooning up
against the boy's back with arms wrapped around his waist, hands on his rounded
belly. "Now we sleep."
Eren closed his eyes contentedly, pressing himself back against Levi's chest,
his hands falling over the man's on his belly. "Do you want an alpha, or an
omega?" Eren wondered, voice laced with exhaustion
Levi had closed his eyes as well, but opened them halfway when Eren spoke,
rubbing his fingertips in tight little circles over the fleshy mound, "Mm, It
doesn't matter to me as long as they're healthy," he replied, voice hushed
against the back of his mate's neck.
"That's what they all say," Eren mumbled, "But you've got to have a preference;
I know you do. What about a boy or a girl, do you have a preference for that?"
Levi chuckled. "Nope," he replied, popping the 'p' just a little. "I don't care
what gender or dynamic our children turn out to be, love, so long as they turn
out happy and healthy. I already love the brat. Whatever they turn out to be
isn't going to change that," he explained further after a minute, nuzzling the
nape of Eren's neck and breathing in the omega's scent. "Do you have a
preference?"
Eren smiled a little. "I guess I'd like an omega so I could have someone to
complain about alphas with," said Eren. "Though if we had an alpha, they would
probably look more like you, so maybe I'd rather an alpha."
The alpha chuckled again, the low sound tickling against the back of the boy's
neck, "If we have an omega, we're going to have to have a big yard for me to
bury all the alphas that think they're good enough for our baby. If we have an
alpha, well as long as they don't turn out like your sister, I guess that will
be fine..." he paused a moment, "If that happens, you'll never be allowed to
leave the house; the kid will be more protective than any of us."
"Mm, speaking of, if we have an alpha, I'm not letting Mikasa babysit; she'll
turn the kid against me just to drive me fucking crazy," he said as an
afterthought. It was teasing because he was fairly sure the female alpha would
always hold some animosity towards him for stealing away her precious brother,
but he knew he'd somehow earned her respect in the last few days.
"Maybe we'll just have to have one of each. Who knows, it could still be
twins," said Eren, fingers tapping across his belly lazily.
The alpha groaned and buried his face in Eren's hair, "I think you secretly
want it to be twins, brat. You want me to have grey hair early," he grumbled,
voice muffled by the soft strands of the boy's hair.
"I think I already see some," Eren teased. "You'd be handsome with grey hair."
Levi pulled back and leaned to peer at the boy. "I do not have any yet, you
brat," he argued, the threat of a pout pulling at his lips. He gave Eren a
little squeeze, "Even if you'd like it...”
Eren smiled, closing his eyes once more. “I’ll just have to make you look in
the mirror tomorrow,” he yawned.
Levi grumbled something about removing all the mirrors in the damn place and
brats that needed to be disciplined as he laid back down, voice breathy and
muffled as he pressed his face back against the nape of Eren's neck.
He planted a soft kiss to the vulnerable flesh and pressed the length of his
body along the boy's back, hands protectively spread over their baby safely
encased in the omega's belly, comfortable and content to fall asleep with his
boy in his hold. It had been a very long, chaotic couple of days.
"I love you Eren... Sweet dreams," he whispered against the soft skin at his
nape as he finally closed his own eyes again.
 
***** Hurting Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Chapter Notes
     Here's an extra long chapter for you guys! Enjoy <3 <3
Eren fell asleep to the sound of Levi’s words, only stirring a few times
throughout the night due to their baby kicking, though that had become a normal
occurrence that Eren honestly didn’t mind. He only woke permanently just before
the sun rose, hints of light appearing over the horizon, though not quite
enough to drown out the moon and the stars. It must've been fairly early.
Eren slowly loosened himself from his alpha’s arms, shuffling into the nearest
bathroom. No one else seemed to be awake yet. When the omega shut the door and
lit the lantern, filling the bathroom with light, he was ashamed at what he
saw. Himself. He hadn’t looked in a mirror since before the incident, and he
honestly wished he wasn’t looking in one right now. He looked tired and aged,
his eyes sunken in and cheeks just a bit gaunter than they had been, showing
off pronounced cheekbones. A lot of his face was still reddened with minor
bruises and burns, his lips chapped and his entire body was covered with
bandages that he slowly began to peel away so he could look at the rest of the
damage, unable to stop himself.
As soon as he did, he burst into tears. It was awful. He’d never been
particularly vain, but seeing himself right now, he looked absolutely ruined.
He looked like a walking corpse; he couldn’t see how Levi could love him like
this. Maybe it just looked worse to Eren because he knew how each and every
wound had been created. He was sure Levi had some guesses, too.
Levi's brow furrowed as his hand searched the empty space next to him
unconsciously in the bed. He sat up abruptly, silver eyes narrowing in the low
light seeping into the room, searching frantically for the boy that should have
been there, sudden irrational fear rising up his throat and he was out of the
bed in seconds.
Not finding any sign of the missing omega in their room, he swiftly went into
the hall, seeking the boy with single minded intent, anxiety rising the longer
it took to find Eren. He stopped in front of the closed bathroom door, scenting
the air and sighing in relief at the subtle scent of his mate coming from
within. It was short lived relief though when the scent curled with upset,
salty with the tears his mate had to be crying and he didn't bother knocking as
he let himself inside, closing it again behind him and immediately going to
Eren's side.
"Baby, what are you doing? What's wrong?" He asked, concern in his voice as his
gaze traced over the revealed wounds before flicking back to the teary face of
his brunette lover searchingly.
“How could you ask me what’s wrong? Look at me,” Eren croaked, still staring at
his reflection in the mirror in the dim light of the lantern. “How could you
love this? I can’t even get rid of these wounds.”
Levi blinked in confusion a moment before he understood what exactly was wrong.
He moved to wrap his arms around his distraught mate. "The same way you love me
with all my scars, love," he said gently, attempting to turn the boy away from
his reflection in the mirror and cursing himself for not removing the mirrors
in the place sooner.
"Your scars aren't like mine," Eren whispered. "Yours are from fighting.
Fighting people and fighting Titans to protect something. Mine are from being
weak," he said, quivering fingers brushing over the now ruined mark Levi had
left on Eren so long ago. "It's not fair," he whispered.
"That's not true... Scars are proof of strength, Eren. They tell stories about
the pains we've faced. They tell stories of survival," Levi murmured, raising a
hand to cover Eren's on the mark. "You never need to be ashamed of them," he
assured. The wounds on Eren's skin hurt the alpha to look at, but only because
he felt responsible for each and every one of them, a reminder of his failure
to protect his mate. Eren was still as beautiful to him as he'd ever been and
even if the injuries scarred and remained on the boy's skin forever, they would
serve to remind him never to allow himself to be so careless again.
“I only survived because you came and rescued me. I didn't do anything to
survive, I let myself get taken," Eren murmured in a hoarse, self-deprecating
tone. "I should've turned into a Titan and gotten out myself, but I-I couldn't
do it."
Levi pressed himself closer to the shifter, scent curling soothingly around
them. "Eren... Sometimes, it's all you can do just to keep breathing. You
couldn't take the chance and possibly hurt the baby. You don't think it was a
show of your strength to simply withstand what was done to you? Let me ask you,
what if you could have turned into a Titan, but it would have harmed our baby?
Would you have chosen to shift?"
"Depends on how long I was there," Eren whispered shakily, looking away in
shame. "I know it's selfish, but I couldn't have stayed another day." Eren's
breath hitched and he sobbed. "I wished I was dead, I did. I wanted to turn
into a Titan, no matter the consequences." He felt horrible admitting this.
Levi's eyes closed a moment and he inhaled a deep breath, slowly letting it
out. "If I had left you there any longer, I would not have blamed you baby.
Everyone has limits Eren, even me. I don't know if I could have held out as
long as you did. You can't think about all the what ifs Eren; they'll eat away
at you from the inside out. I should know; I've been there. I came for you. You
were strong in the face of tremendous adversity; you didn't give in and now we
are together again. The baby is safe; you are safe and your scars are proof of
your strength."
"I just want them to go away," Eren breathed, shaking his head. "I don't want
to look at them anymore. I don't want to think about the things they did. I
can't take it, I can't think about it," he said, hands coming to his temples
and pressing there harshly.
Levi grasped the shifter's hands in his own, afraid that Eren would attempt
tugging at his own hair again like he had before and carefully pulled them away
from his head, successfully turning the boy to face him fully. "Maybe... Maybe
it will help if you get it out," he suggested quietly. He was never much of a
talker when it came to vicious memories, but he knew that sometimes it helped
to talk about your nightmares before they devoured you from within. It was how
Hanji knew a majority of the things she did about him. She was a good listener
despite how she seemed.
"Come back to bed... I'll hold you and you can tell me whatever you need to."
Eren looked down, avoiding Levi’s eyes as he gave a slight nod.
He let his alpha lead him back to the bed, slowly sitting down before scooting
over to press his head against the alpha’s chest. “I don’t know where to
start,” he admitted softly.
Levi held him, arms wrapped comfortingly over his shoulders, fingers tracing
soothing, random patterns over the bruise-mottled skin of the shifter's back,
barely ghosting along the flesh. "Start wherever you like, love, there's no
rush..." He spoke in a calm, soft tone, keeping up the tender motions and
scenting the air around them with protectiveness to remind his mate that he was
safe here in his alpha's arms. He tried to prepare himself mentally for
whatever horrors Eren was going to voice, but it would hurt him to know just
how badly his omega had been hurt; he had his suspicions, but to know for
certain would be painful and he had to be strong for Eren because he knew if he
broke under the boy's words, the shifter would stop speaking to protect him.
While that was honourable, Levi knew Eren needed this. The omega needed to let
go of the pain inside him, to let his alpha take on some of the burden he had
been suffering alone until now. His memories were suffocating him and Levi
needed him to be able to breathe easy again.
Eren shrugged, lips against his alpha’s shoulder. “I don’t know,” he whispered.
“I guess I’ll start from the beginning, when they took me. They knocked me out,
I didn’t know where they were taking me. When I woke up, I was chained down and
Erwin was there; he kept telling me you were dead,” Eren spoke in a soft tone.
“I knew he was lying. Nile was there too. He tried to-" Eren cut off and
cleared his throat. “He tried to stab me, but that’s when my abilities kicked
in and protected the baby. But of course Erwin had some other ideas.” Eren’s
voice shook with anger. “He had Nile start burning me with hot knives and he
kept telling me to stop protecting the baby, that you didn’t even want it.” His
voice rose as he spoke. “I kept crying and telling him I couldn’t, but he
wouldn’t stop. And the needles-" Eren shook his head. “They were hot, too.” His
voice broke. “But the water was cold. They put a cloth over my face and the
water and I-I couldn’t breathe-" Eren trembled, fingers curling into Levi’s
skin. “I hate them, I hate this,” Eren whispered desperately. He was so hurt,
but so angry.
Levi crooned low and husky, the sound reverberating in his chest as he remained
calm and still under Eren, rubbing his back and listening. Rage curled in his
gut, but he kept it at bay, forcing it down and keeping it out of his scent as
Eren talked.
"It's alright, baby," he cooed over the rumbling crooning, "It's alright..."
Encouraging the boy to continue if he needed to. If he wanted to scream or cry;
whatever he needed, Levi would take it. They would have their revenge; he would
be sure of it.
“They let all the other soldiers do whatever they wanted to me,” Eren
whispered, not specifying what exactly those soldiers did to him. He couldn’t.
Not in front of Levi, at least.
The alpha's eyes narrowed in response to that statement and he swallowed hard,
wanting to know, but also afraid of the implication behind the words. He had to
ask... He had to know... "Did they..." He couldn't even get the rest of the
words out of his mouth, tasting bile in the back of his throat. If there had
been more than physical torture and the mental manipulations of Erwin, what the
soldiers could have done, the things Eren was reluctant to say, Levi's mind
conjured all kinds of scenarios for what those unsaid things could be, what
could have been worse...
“Please don’t make me answer,” Eren begged, though that was probably answer
enough.
Levi closed his eyes again and had difficulty swallowing, like his throat was
closing up and he squeezed Eren to him. "I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely.
He hadn't wanted to think about what else could have happened in the three days
Eren had spent in that dungeon, that there may have been worse things; he'd
been deluding himself by thinking that they would not have resorted to other
types of torture. Levi was not unfamiliar with the other forms, had witnessed
them before both in the underground and in the military and to know that his
mate had been a victim of... He shivered in spite of his best efforts to quell
it and he let out a shaky breath.
Eren didn’t say anything, simply burying his face in his alpha’s chest as he
tried to hold back the urge to sob. He stayed silent for a while, simply
clinging to his alpha. “Don’t... Be sorry...”
Levi felt the threat of his own tears, but refused to let them fall, holding
the omega tightly as the boy clung to him desperately. "It should never have
happened... I should have come sooner... I..." It was so painful that he lost
his voice, made more so because it was not the first time he had not been able
to save someone precious to him from such degradation and worse because he
should have been; he was no longer a child and he was supposed to be strong
enough to prevent such a thing from happening to his precious mate.
"Eren..." His voice cracked and he swallowed hard before he continued, "If
they... I didn't check for internal injuries... We have to..." It came out
broken and hoarse and he cursed himself for the weakness. He should have
checked, should not have been too afraid to examine for something more,
injuries that could have been hidden. He'd been so concerned with Eren's lack
of response, he had neglected to explore further, subconsciously shying away
from knowing if there had been unseen wounds. He wasn't even sure if he could
stand to examine and treat those particular kinds of injuries, but he couldn't
possibly ask anyone else, not even Hanji. He couldn't stand the thought of
anyone else touching Eren like that ever again.
“No,” the whimper immediately escaped Eren’s lips. “No, please don’t,” he
begged. “It’s fine, It’s fine, really.” His voice cracked into a whine. He
couldn’t let Levi look at him like that; he couldn’t let his alpha see those
sorts of things. He wanted Levi to remain attracted to him in some way; he
couldn’t lose the last thing he had left.
"Baby, we have to," the alpha said thickly, bitterness lingering on his tongue.
Wounds of that sort could not be overlooked. The risk of infection from such
wounds was much higher than even the punctures he'd stitched.
“No,” Eren protested again, voice shaky as he pulled away from his alpha. “No,
I won’t let you. You can’t-“ His voice broke off as he held back more tears.
Levi clenched his teeth so hard, his jaw ached. "If... If not me, then...
Hanji... Eren, if they hurt you like that, the injuries can't be left
untreated... I can't just... They can't be ignored... I'm so sorry, baby," his
voice shook and he tried to reach for the boy as he shied away. He wouldn't
dare force the omega to let him examine him, but as he'd said, Eren would have
to let someone do it. The boy wasn't healing as he usually would which meant
any injuries he had had already been left far too long without proper
treatment. Levi knew what could happen if they were left unattended. There
could be permanent damage, severe scarring that may make it impossible for the
omega to give birth naturally or even ever participate in intercourse again
without pain. If Eren would ever be comfortable having that sort of intimacy in
the future.
"No, no," Eren repeated, rather desperately. "Nobody. You can't make me," Eren
snapped at the alpha, scrambling up off the bed and backing away as though he
expected Levi to force him down to examine him.
Levi sat up in the bed, but didn't move to touch Eren. "I can't make you... I'd
never force you... Just... If you don't... It could damage you permanently...
That kind of... Trauma can prevent you from having the baby normally... Or make
it impossible for you to even... Please, baby..." He pleaded hoarsely. He
understood, he did, why the omega was against it, to have to relive something
so humiliating, so debasing, but it didn't change the fact that Eren needed to
be properly treated.
Eren shook, staring at the alpha. He knew he was right, but he couldn't say
yes. "I don't want you to see..."
"I'd rather it be me, but it's not up to me... Whatever you feel most
comfortable with... I'll do whatever you want... I just... I need you to be
safe, baby," Levi replied, slipping to the edge of the bed and resting his feet
flat on the floor, knees spread. He rested his elbows on his thighs and hung
his head in his hands. He wanted desperately to touch Eren, to take the boy
into his arms and sooth his pain away, but he didn't dare to try with the state
Eren was in. He'd have to wait until the omega approached him.
Eren's lips quivered and he shook, pressing himself against the wall behind
him. He was terrified of having permanent damage; he was terrified that the
baby wouldn't be able to come out properly and he was terrified that if Levi
saw the evidence of what had happened, the alpha would never want to touch him
again.
"You'll hate me."
Levi looked up from his hands, mercury depths swimming with turbulent emotions
as he met Eren's gaze. "Never..." The singular word held so much sincerity, so
much conviction. He could never hate Eren, no matter the scars, both physical
and otherwise, the nightmares, even if the omega could never stand to have sex
with him again after what had happened; he would never feel anything, but love
for the boy.
Eren wrapped his arms around himself, swallowing back any tears he had. "You
aren't disgusted with me?" He asked quietly.
"Of course not," Levi's brows furrowed and he shook his head a little. "It's
not your fault, Eren." He swallowed hard and offered one hand out to the
shaking boy curled in upon himself against the far wall, not moving, not trying
to force the boy to him, but offering assurance and comfort if Eren decided he
wanted it.
Eren hesitated, staying silent for a few seconds before he shuffled forward,
taking Levi's hand and bringing himself closer to the man so he could press
himself into his arms. "Don't hate me," he repeated, barely audible.
Levi pulled him in, burying his face against the swell of his mate's belly and
wrapping his arms around the small of his back. "I love you... There is nothing
in this world that could make me hate you Eren... Nothing..." He promised as he
rubbed circles on the boy's lower back.
"What do you want to do?" he murmured after several seconds. The sun had
started to rise by now, light filtering in through the barred windows and
dulled by threadbare curtains. The others would be up soon and they could not
afford to put off treating the wounds that had been left hidden for too long
already.
Eren cupped the back of Levi's head, shaking a bit. "I want you to check them,"
he whispered. There was no way he could let Hanji do it unless it was an
emergency.
"Okay," the alpha agreed, swallowing hard and rubbing his cheek along the side
of the smooth mound it was pressed against, pulling away only when Eren shifted
back.
He wet dry lips before he spoke quietly, voice shaky, "You need to remove your
bottoms and lay down... On your side..." It would have been easier if the boy
could lay on his stomach, but it was impossible with how far along he was in
his pregnancy and Levi wasn't about to make him prostrate himself on his hands
and knees.
He stood up and moved to light the lantern, making sure the door was locked so
that no one would come in unannounced. His scent filling the space with intense
warning signals for everyone to stay far away from their quarters, protective
and intent to provide comfort for his mate, to make Eren feel as safe as
possible given what he had to do. He washed his hands with alcohol, uncaring of
the sting it brought to his own healing wounds, reveling in it to ground
himself.
Eren nodded slowly, crawling into the bed and lying down on his back to slide
off his bottoms before he changed position, fixing himself on his side as the
smell of alcohol filled the room. "Will it hurt?" He asked quietly.
"It will most likely be uncomfortable, but I'll be as gentle as I can. I have
to put some of the healing ointment... Inside..." Levi explained gently,
reaching for the mentioned cream and opening it and coating the fingers of his
right hand, swallowing hard as he placed his left on Eren's hip lightly, thumb
rubbing soothingly to keep from startling the omega. His motions were slow and
tender when he moved to spread the soft cheeks, wincing and closing his eyes
briefly when he saw how red and raw the little opening was.
Eren closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and wincing when he felt Levi open
him up. It wasn't necessarily because it was painful, but because he didn't
want Levi to see. "Is it bad?"
"Mm, it could be much worse..." The alpha murmured honestly as he carefully
pressed a lotion covered finger with slow gentleness inside the tender
tightness, carefully rubbing the pad of his finger along the inner walls. There
was tearing, but from what he could feel, it wasn't as severe as he had feared
it would be. He pressed in deeper, spreading the salve further. It was swollen
inside, likely inflamed, but the ointment would help.
He removed his finger, applied more lotion and repeated the process before he
finally pulled back and cleaned his hands once more.
"Its done... Okay?" He questioned softly, rubbing the boy's hip with a warm
palm.
Eren nodded, face buried in the pillow Levi had slept on that night so he could
hide his tears, half from embarrassment, and half from pain. It had hurt,
though he knew Levi had been as gentle as possible. But now he just felt
absolutely worthless. He hated that Levi had had to do something like that for
him.
The alpha pulled the omega against him, turning his body over gently and
letting the boy bury his face in his chest, a low croon of comfort sounding.
"Its okay, baby... Its over now," he murmured close to a whisper, one hand
pulling the sheet up over Eren's lower half for the distressed youth.
Eren wiped at his eyes, nodding. "I know," he whispered, sniffling as he
pressed his cheek against Levi's warm chest. "It's just a lot." His arms
tightened around his alpha. "Thank you... For doing that."
Levi placed a hand in the back of Eren's hair, fingertips massaging at his
scalp. "You don't need to thank me, Eren; I'll always take care of you," he
spoke, tone still soft and a little strained.
"Still," Eren argued in a whisper. "I know that-- I know you didn't necessarily
want to do that..."
"I don't like that it was necessary, but I would do anything for you, baby, no
matter how much I don't like it," Levi replied, calm in spite of the heaviness
in his gut. He wrapped Eren in his arms, rubbing hands over his sides and back.
"I wish you didn't have to see that," Eren murmured, a calm purr escaping him
due to Levi's gentle hands on him.
"I'm glad you trusted me enough to let me," the alpha responded, still petting
the boy. They would have to repeat the process as they did with changing the
bandages, but at least it would speed the healing and prevent permanent damage.
Soon enough, the wounds would fade.
He kissed the crown of Eren's head before rubbing his cheek against the soft
strands, taking comfort in the contact. He was happy that he could provide
comfort for his omega and that Eren was not shying away from his touch, seeking
it instead. He was grateful. Things could have been so much worse.
"Do you think we'll still have another baby after this?" Eren whispered. "Or-
- Will you still want to have another one after this one?" He questioned
quietly.
"That's up to you, Eren," Levi paused to press another kiss to the boy's head
before pulling back and raising a hand to tilt Eren's chin up and meet his
eyes, "I'd never force you, but I'm always going to want you. Nothing's going
to change that..."
"I'll always want you too," the omega admitted to his alpha, staring into his
mercury depths.
Levi's lips twitched into a soft smile and he craned his neck to press them to
his mate's in a chaste, warm kiss, pouring every assurance he could into it,
fingers caressing the side of Eren's face as he held the sweet lip lock for
several seconds. "We'll work it out," he said as he finally broke the
connection. If Eren was willing, then there was hope for them to have a future
where they could be as they had been before. They just needed time to heal.
Levi would not push his mate for anything more intimate than cuddling.
"We'll work it out," Eren agreed quietly. "We'll work it out." He held his
alpha close, comforted by his presence and his scent.
===============================================================================
Eren handled Levi checking him over down there a lot better, and he was talking
more, too. The MP had no clue about the safe house, and Eren had eventually
begun to grow comfortable there, even allowing for Levi to leave the room
without getting anxiety attacks. Sometimes, he'd watch Levi train from the
window, or go help Hanji with research, but mostly he just rested and continued
reading to the baby. Of course, Levi had brought the book of fairy tales when
he'd rescued Eren.
Often times, if Levi couldn't come in for lunch, Armin and Mikasa would join
him. And when Levi didn't show up one day, Eren wasn't surprised when Mikasa
and Armin gently knocked, poking their heads in once Eren beckoned them to come
in.
They had finished lunch quickly and had talked for while about the baby and the
plans for the upcoming months and Mikasa was meticulously maintaining her gear
as she and Armin sat with Eren in his room. She and the blonde omega had come
to some conclusions about what had happened to Eren during his captivity and
had even talked to him about it, mostly asking questions and allowing him to
nod in response rather than begging details from him when he was obviously
uncomfortable with it. She reached for another rag and paused when Eren
flinched as if she might have been about to grasp his wrist. She frowned.
"Eren... You..." She paused, rethinking how to broach the subject she wanted to
ask after. She was worried about him. "How are things going with you and the
midget?"
Armin shot her a look, but didn't say anything, shuffling the mission plans he
held in his hands. He was working as the strategist and would-be acting
Commander of their little group, so he had a large portion of paperwork he had
to look over and prepare. He enjoyed coming to Eren and the captain's room to
work on it in peace and spend time with his two closest friends. It was
comfortable. He wasn't sure he liked what Mikasa had asked, afraid she was
going to upset Eren somehow. Levi was always a touchy subject between the
siblings.
"We..." Eren shrugged. "We're actually doing great, a lot better than I
expected," the pregnant teen replied simply, looking down at his belly. "He's
been really good with me and the baby."
"Mmn, he hasn't wanted to..." She pursed her lips a moment before continuing,
"Get more intimate at all?"
Armin watched the two, trying to understand where the girl was going with this.
He folded his hands in his lap, laying them over the papers and focusing his
full attention on the siblings, prepared to step in if necessary. It was too
strange for the female alpha to be asking such a thing, especially when he was
sure she'd be thrilled if the captain never laid hands on Eren again. She still
held a grudge against the man for impregnating her brother in the first place.
"N-No-- I don't think so," Eren stuttered. "W-why? Has he said anything about
it? Does he-- Does he want that?" His tone was worried now.
She tilted her head, "No, nothing like that, but he has been a little more
insufferable lately. More than usual, anyways... Alphas have certain needs,
especially mated ones tend to, well, you know what I'm getting at. I'm just
worried he might pressure you for it."
Armin's liquid blue eyes narrowed in understanding, grasping what Mikasa was
concerned about.
Eren shifted uncomfortably, frowning at the alpha female. "You really think
he'd pressure me into that? Am I really torturing him that badly?" Was Levi
unhappy that they weren't having sex and just trying to spare Eren's feelings
by not saying anything?
"I don't know. If he's not... Well, will he really be alright with it if you
aren't ever ready to do it again? Lots of alphas use sex as stress relief. If
it's bad enough... I'm just worried he might look elsewhere in the future and I
don't want to see you get hurt. It's not that I think he will... It's just I
know how strong those urges can be..." She explained quietly, cheeks pinking a
bit at her own admission. Being an alpha herself, she knew how tension could
affect them and sex was a good way, a way most adult alphas dealt with it, not
that she had indulged in any of the latent desires...Lately.
Armin bit his lip, "She does have a point, Eren. Levi is a powerful alpha at
that, and he's mated. Normally, if he had those urges, he could get relief from
his mate, but if you aren't willing, especially once the baby is born and you
go into heat again... If you aren't ready, he may feel like he has no choice
because he doesn't want to force you..."
Eren began to shake, rising apprehension crossing over his face. Levi might
sleep with someone else? Just because Eren wasn't ready? "W-what do I do?" Eren
asked a bit frantically, concerned he could be losing his alpha without having
realized it.
Mikasa didn't know how to answer that, falling silent instead. Armin scowled at
her before he turned to Eren, "Well, maybe just talk to him about it... Or if
you feel like you're ready, maybe, um-- try making yourself... available ...
Mikasa is right about the stress... The captain does seem a little high
strung..."
Eren ran a hand through his hair, looking down at his belly again. "I--" Eren
shook his head. "I-I'll think about it, I guess..." He didn't want Levi to be
so stressed out that he resorted to leaving Eren. What kind of omega couldn't
even provide sexual relief for their alpha?
Armin leaned to pat the other omega's leg reassuringly, "You don't need to
force yourself, Eren. Levi's a good alpha; I'm sure he'll understand... I don't
think it was Mikasa's intention to upset you or make you doubt him," he said,
side eyeing the female alpha until she gave a jerky nod. It hadn't been her
intention, really. She just didn't want Eren to get hurt anymore. He'd already
been through so much. She didn't know what he might do if Levi ever betrayed
him like that, even if he had Eren's best interests at heart.
Eren bit his lip, fingers picking at his shirt. "He'll understand," Eren said
to himself. "H-He'll definitely understand," he stammered. "He loves me,
doesn't he?"
Armin smiled brightly. "Of course he does. Everyone knows how important you are
to the captain," he said as he stood up, papers in hand. Mikasa stood as well,
collecting her gear and cleaning supplies. They had been away from their
responsibilities long enough.
"We should be going now. Don't worry too much, alright? We'll come see you
again tomorrow." The both of them gave the omega careful hugs and took their
leave.
Eren didn't say anything, simply nodding. His friends had basically told him
Levi was going to leave him if he didn't have sex with him soon and then they
had left. They had left him alone with such horrible thoughts.
The omega returned to his usual rocking chair by the window, hands on his
stomach as he watched Levi training the recruits in the field outside.
Levi was pissed off. He just wanted to be with Eren and the baby, and training
the recruits for the upcoming battle was strenuous and frustrating. They were
good, but they weren't good enough.
He was currently helping a brat that had been careless while in the air, gotten
caught on a branch and sprained his ankle rather severely, and Levi was trying
desperately to hold his breath against the potent scent of the boy leaning on
him for support as the alpha assisted him to Hanji. The sickly sweet scent of
roses that wafted from the kid's skin was so strong and perfumy that he was
getting a headache. And it made him miss his omega that smelled so wonderful in
comparison. He just knew that the cloying scent of the other omega was going to
be stuck on him and he could not wait to rid it from his skin before he could
instead cover himself in Eren's.
Eren leaned forward, gripping at the wooden windowsill as he observed the sight
down below. Levi was... Holding another omega. Holding him close and helping
him walk. He frowned, shaking as he looked down at them. Why did Levi look so
interested in this omega? Why were they so close to each other? Where were they
going? The brunette omega stood up, hands under his stomach as though holding
it up.
It was almost an hour later by the time Levi escaped Hanji's pestering and
could finally return to the room he shared with Eren. His face was set in a
disgusted scowl. He was indeed drenched in the overly sweet flowery scent of an
omega that was not his and he was not fucking happy about it, even less so
because he'd spent nearly an hour soaking in it thanks to a certain nosy Beta
with shitty glasses. He opened the door, immediately stepping towards the
cabinet that held fresh clothing and towels, singularly minded in removing the
unwanted perfume as swiftly as possible, though he did pause in the process of
collecting the items to inhale deeply the scent that was entirely him and his
mate in their quarters. There was something off about it though and he turned
around, eyes immediately seeking out Eren.
Eren watched Levi the whole time. It seemed as though the alpha hadn't even
noticed he was there, too focused on changing his clothing as quickly as
possible. "You seem tired," Eren said casually, eyeing Levi's discarded
clothes. "And you smell different. Been training with some omegas?" He tried to
ask innocently.
Levi grunted, standing in his underwear and holding his fresh pants in his
hands, debating whether or not to even put them on before bathing. "I'm fine
and yes, there are a few omegas in the ranks. Stupid brat made a careless
mistake and nearly broke his damn ankle. I had to practically carry him to
Hanji's and he fucking reeked," he complained, eyes narrowing on his mate.
There was something in the brunette's tone, in his body language that was
calling out to his instincts and sending up red flags, but the alpha didn't
comment on it directly. "How was your day? How's the baby?"
“The baby’s good,” Eren replied, voice husky as he leaned back against the wall
and cocked up one of his hips slightly, a hand sliding up beneath his shirt to
raise it up a bit to expose the soft round curve of his belly. “We missed you
today. A lot,” Eren purred.
The alpha's eyes dropped to the revealed flesh and followed the sensual
movements of the omega's hand beneath his shirt, licking his lips
unconsciously. His eyes flickered back to Eren's face and narrowed in suspicion
at the purring tone of his voice.
His hands fisted in the material of the pants he'd forgotten he was even
holding. "What are you up to, brat?" He questioned hoarsely, not moving from
where he stood. He didn't know what to do. Something about this was off
somehow. Something wasn't right.
“Nothing,” Eren replied, maybe a bit too quickly. “I just figured you’d had a
stressful day. No harm in the two of us relaxing,” Eren elaborated, making his
way to the bed, shirt still pulled up and resting atop his belly. “Come here,
I’ll give you a massage. You know I’ll give you a massage any time you want,
right? You don’t have to ask anyone else.”
"Hah," Levi sighed out, head tilting to the side as he watched Eren intently,
arousal pooling in his gut in spite of his confusion and suspicion over the
omega's actions. They were too sudden. He didn't think he was misreading the
signals, but Eren hadn't shown the least bit of interest in activities of a
sexual nature since before his captivity and even though he was all healed up
now, he hadn't given the slightest hint of being ready to explore that kind of
intimacy again, had been hesitant to even bathe with Levi just a couple days
previous.
The omega's ending statement stood out in his mind and the previous comments
he'd made suddenly clicked together in his head. "Why would I ask anyone else?"
He asked slowly, folding the pants in his hands and setting them on top of the
cabinet before he stepped over to the bed and sat down on the edge, feet
planted on the ground, the pale, muscular and scarred expanse of his back
facing his mate.
“In case you think I wouldn’t want to,” said Eren, not hesitating to follow
Levi, hands reaching out and beginning to tenderly massage the alpha’s stiff
shoulders before gently running down the man’s back. “I’ll always be here, it
doesn’t matter if I’m pregnant or... What happened in the past. I can still
give you a massage, can’t I?” He questioned, lips grazing the alpha’s ear as he
leaned forward.
"Of course, nnm," the alpha agreed lowly, tense muscles unwinding beneath the
omega's hands and he shivered at the brush of lips at his ear. It felt so
good... He was getting hard despite his best efforts to remain unaroused. He
didn't think he believed Eren had only a massage in mind and he definitely
didn't believe the omega had suddenly gotten over what had happened and was
horny enough to seduce him; his scent was proof enough. There was definitely a
reason he was doing this.
Eren’s lips moved from Levi’s ear down to his nape, pressing soft, but intimate
kisses on his mate’s neck as he continued massaging him, his arms wrapping
around the alpha's torso from behind so his hands could rub at the man’s
muscled chest. His scent was nervous and possessive, not aroused like it should
be.
Levi's left hand rose to rub along the boy's scarred forearm crossed over his
chest, and he hummed his appreciation, doing nothing else to encourage his mate
to instigate further intimacy. Eren was jealous; he could tell that much and
the omega was damn nervous. It was all over his scent.
Eren’s kisses dragged further up Levi’s neck and behind his jawline, the
brunette shaking a bit as he pressed rushed and sloppy kisses to his alpha’s
skin before he slowly crawled onto the other side of his mate, setting himself
in Levi’s lap so he could cup his cheeks, pressing kisses to his stilled lips
instead.
Levi kissed him back, but it was chaste and his hands rose and slowly wrapped
around the omega's wrists, pulling his hands away gently and leaning back away
from his mouth, breaking the kiss. His erection was pressed and throbbing
beneath Eren, but he made no move to rub against the boy. "Eren..." He said
huskily, a hint of warning underlying the silky quality of the tone, "Why are
you doing this?"
“Why am I doing what? Being intimate with my own alpha?” Eren questioned
innocently. “Because… I want you, and you want me,” he said, almost
mechanically. “Don’t you? Don’t you want me?”
Levi growled softly, "Even if I want this, you don't..." This was dangerous...
There was insecurity; he could sense it. His own scent was thick with arousal,
eager and wanting, but he didn't cave to it, the knowledge that his mate was
not being honest easily keeping his baser instincts in check and under control.
He kept a hold of the omega's wrists, firm, but gentle as he looked at the boy
carefully, pupils half dilated with simmering desire that he had no intention
of satisfying at the moment.
"I want this," Eren assured his alpha quickly, shaking his head as he stared at
the man, futilely trying to pry his wrists away from the alpha's firm grip. "I
want you, Levi. Please let me do this."
The raven shook his head, "I can't. I won't. You aren't fooling me brat. What's
this all about really?" His voice was gravelly and his breath was a little
heavier than it had been. He let go of Eren's wrists reluctantly, not wanting
to forcibly restrain him when he began to struggle more to remove them from the
restricting hold.
“This isn't about anything," Eren protested. "Haven't you missed sex? Aren't
you stressed out?" He asked, moving in to kiss at Levi's neck again.
The alpha's eyes widened fractionally, "Eren, stop... Even if that were the
case, I don't want it like this." He didn't exactly push the boy away, but
tried to pull his own body away from the shifter's lips instead.
Eren frowned, pulling away and looking at the man. "Why?" He whispered, hurt in
his voice
Levi growled in frustration and ran a shaky hand through his fringe, "Because
you aren't ready. You smell like jealousy and anxiety."
"No I don't," Eren argued. "Your nose must be all messed up by that omega. You
don't know if I'm ready or not. I am ready," Eren protested, brows furrowing in
determination.
"Eren..." Levi sighed in exasperation, "Why are you acting like this? You so
clearly don't want this. You're fucking shaking. Baby, tell me what made you
think I want this?"
"I'm shaking because I'm cold," Eren lied. "You do want this; look at you.
You're stressed out to the max and it's because I haven't been doing my job."
Levi's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Your job?" He was starting to understand
what Eren was thinking, but who the fuck had put the idea in his head?
The boy gave a slight nod, but Levi didn't look happy. "My job... To keep you
happy."
"You think it will make me happy to have sex with you when you're unwilling?
You're not even aroused..." He shifted under Eren slightly, still leaning back
away from the omega. He very carefully put his hands on the boy's hips, just
resting them there lightly.
"I am aroused," the omega protested stubbornly. "Just kiss me back; I'll get
more aroused real quick, I promise."
The alpha's brows pinched together. His mate was being so obstinate about this.
"No," he refused quietly. Eren was not thinking clearly and the alpha may
desperately wish for the intimacy they'd had previously, but he would not have
it like this.
"Wh... What?" Eren whispered, looking at the man. "Is it-is it because of
something I did? Are you unhappy with me? Is it because of--"
Levi squeezed the boy's hips lightly and shook his head before meeting Eren's
eyes. "It's not like that, baby. I'm not unhappy with you, but what you're
trying to do right now... I can't take you like this... It's wrong, Eren," he
tried to explain, voice gentle and still low with lingering arousal that he had
no control over.
"Why is it wrong?" Eren whispered, bottom lip quivering. "It's not wrong for us
to have sex... I'm your omega. You should only be having sex with me."
Levi blinked slowly, "Is that what you think? You think I'm out fucking other
people?" There was a hint of anger in the words, frustration seeping out
unbidden.
"No," Eren defended quickly. "Not yet." He looked away. "Look, just let me do
this for you. I can't risk not doing this."
"No. I don't want you like this... I told you it's okay. I'm not in any rush,
Eren. When we do this, I want you to want it. It's not supposed to be an
obligation. We're partners. It's not your responsibility to spread your legs
for me whenever I'm horny, Eren. I'm not an animal; I have some fucking self-
control..." He used his grip on the boy's hips to remove Eren from his lap and
set him on the bed, sighing with relief once the pressure was off his erection
and stood up, turning and looking down at the omega. He was beautiful, even
with the scars and Levi did want him. He missed being inside him, watching him
come undone beneath him, but this... He couldn't...
"Why?" Eren croaked, tears in his eyes. "Why don't you believe that I want
this? I do," Eren begged desperately. "I want you to take me and-and mark me
again. My mark has been ruined. I need you to mark me again," he begged.
Levi reached to cup Eren's cheek, thumb rubbing gently beneath his eye. "I'll
mark you again if it's what you want, Eren, but I can't have sex with you like
this. You obviously aren't ready. You're shaking and crying... I can tell
you're terrified. I can't take you when you're scared of me, baby."
“I'm not scared!" Eren snapped, hands coming up to wipe at his eyes
frantically. "I'm not scared of sex; I'm scared of you leaving!"
Levi let out a heavy breath. This was so fucking hard. "I'm not going anywhere,
Eren. Whether we have sex or we never have sex again, I love you. Do you think
I'm so shallow that I would abandon you and our baby over getting laid? You're
my mate, Eren. That's forever."
"But if you don't get what you need, you won't stay. You'll be too stressed out
to stay," said Eren quietly. "You're already having a hard time and it's my
fault."
"What? What are you talking about?" Levi was confused. He was confused,
frustrated, and aroused and he was getting angry. Who the fuck had put this
shit in Eren's head?
"You're unhappy," Eren stated. "Your muscles are so tense from stress, I don't
even know how you can move. And it's all because of me."
"It's not because of you. Baby, coming home to you is enough, you and the baby.
I'm stressed because the recruits aren't ready and I don't know if I can make
them ready in time. It's not you. Never you... I... I need to make this world
safe for the both of you."
He framed the omega's face with his hands, staring intently into the boy's
eyes, "Its not your fault. You don't owe me anything. I'm not leaving you. You
don't need to do anything to make me stay."
Eren put his hands on top of Levi's. "But what happened to me, how I am now...
I know that stresses you out. I know we aren't like we used to be," Eren
whispered. "I'm not even the same person anymore. You mated Eren, but who am
I?" His voice shook. "Eren's gone. What's keeping you here besides the baby?"
"You're still you, Eren, no matter what's happened. I can't... I don't know how
to convince you. What they did to you, it doesn't define you. Maybe someday
we'll be like we were, maybe we won't, but we'll be together and that's enough.
Of course I want you. I'm always going to. You're the only one I've ever
wanted, but I'm not going to force you directly or indirectly. How can I make
you understand?"
"Mikasa said that you have urges, even though you don't want to have them. You
can't control it. What if some day you just can't hold out any longer and I
won't give you sex? You'd go somewhere else; it's not your fault," Eren
croaked. "I want to be like I used to be; I want to be a good omega again."
"That... Fucking Mikasa... Yes, I have urges, but I've never acted on them. My
instincts don't control me. You are the only one that's ever made me lose
control, Eren. How the hell would I go elsewhere when I can't stand anyone
else? I never want to touch anyone besides you. My hands are yours, my lips are
yours, my body, my heart, everything... I belong to you. No urges, no amount of
stress or sexual frustration could make me betray you like that," he said with
intensity, desperately trying to impress his conviction on the boy. "You aren't
just an omega to me, Eren. You're my fucking everything, baby, and this world
is not fucking good enough for you."
Eren rubbed at his forehead, holding back more tears at Levi's words. "I'm
sorry," he admitted. "I'm sorry... I wasn't... Trying to make it sound like
you're some kind of animal." He looked up at the man. "But doesn't Mikasa know
what she's talking about? She and Armin suggested I be more intimate with
you... Don't they know what's best? Armin's smart and Mikasa is an alpha, they
know a lot more than I do..."
"They're also fifteen, like you. And neither of them are mated. They don't have
the experience or the right to tell us how our relationship should be, Eren,"
the older man ran his hands through his hair and shook his head. "I won't lie
to you and say I don't want to have sex with you, but I'm not some horny
recruit. I can wait as long as it takes and even if that turns out to be
forever, I'll handle it. Sex isn't what makes me happy, Eren; it's you."
Eren trembled, looking down at his lap, which was covered mostly by his belly.
"Will you ever tell me if you can't wait any longer for sex? You won't go to
someone else?"
"There will never be anyone else, Eren. I'd wait forever and longer for you,"
he promised, finally giving in to the need to touch the boy. He pulled Eren up
from the bed and into his arms, hugging him tightly. He sighed heavily before a
quiet croon filled the room and he rubbed his hands up and down Eren's back
soothingly. "Still want me to re-mark you?"
Eren tried to believe Levi's words, simply taking in his alpha's scent and
letting the man hold him before he gave a nervous nod. "I do," he admitted.
"Okay, let's lay down," Levi agreed softly, laying the pregnant omega back into
the sheets and moving to lock their door before he was crawling over Eren
carefully.
He slid his hands up under the boy's shirt, touch gentle as he removed the
article of clothing entirely, pausing after to simply take in his beautiful
mate, eyes full of devotion. He was still hard, still aroused, but he ignored
it in favour of tenderly tracing his hands over the omega's body in intimate,
but not overtly sexual motions meant to sooth rather than arouse. He'd take
care of Eren's needs first, make him comfortable and content, mark him as he'd
requested, to abate those insecurities that had flared up in the boy and once
Eren slept, he'd deal with his lingering lust on his own, just as he had in the
past.
He continued running his palms and fingertips along Eren's skin, up and down
his sides, along his hips and over his belly and chest with reverent adoration,
bending to begin pressing light, fluttering kisses along the curve of the
omega's pregnant belly and up the middle of his chest over his collarbone to
his neck.
He understood Eren needed to feel wanted and he was willing to shower the boy
with affection until the omega felt secure and safe again. They didn't need to
have sex for that to happen.
Eren closed his eyes, shuddering at Levi's gentle touches that made him
nervous, yet soothed him at the same time. He knew the mark would hurt,
probably more than it did last time. After all, Eren was in heat last time, he
was much too focused on sex to care about the pain of the bite. But Eren could
handle pain. The pain he'd felt over the last month was bad pain; it was awful
physical and emotional pain, but this... This was good pain. This was a pain
that would prove Eren was Levi's forever. Eren didn't want the nasty burn scars
where his bite once was, he wanted his mate's marking there, and to never be
removed again.
Levi hummed against the omega's skin, pressing soft lips to the scarred marks
marring Eren's throat. He traced his tongue over them lightly in warning and
held onto the boy's hips with gentle firmness as he bit down, breathing heavier
through his nose and moaning low in his throat when he tasted blood, instincts
flaring possessively in response to the action. Marking was entirely intimate
and it had the heat in his gut stirring, but he didn't do anything more. He
shuddered and laved his tongue over the remade mark soothingly, crooning
huskily to comfort the omega, knowing he'd caused him pain.
Eren gritted his teeth and let out a sharp yelp, though he did well holding
back his pain. It hurt, but it was satisfying in a way. His hands curled into
the sheets, warm body pressing up against his mate.
The alpha nosed behind Eren's ear affectionately, pressing a kiss just under it
before he pulled back to look at Eren through dilated and half lidded eyes. He
slid his hands from plump hips to rub along either side of his omega's belly,
scenting the air possessively. This was his baby and his mate, and he'd be
damned if Eren's own insecurities would take him from him. "Better, baby?" He
asked huskily, unable to control the tone.
The boy nodded, closing his eyes and wincing a bit as he moved his neck. "A lot
better," he whispered, placing his hands on top of Levi's. He still wished he
could give him sex, but if Levi said he was happy...
The older man hummed and laid out on his side, keeping his hands on Eren,
pressing against him, his throbbing erection against the boy's hip, but he
didn't rut against him, ignoring the dull ache as he cuddled his omega, content
to just stay close to him. He traced patterns over the smooth firmness of the
shifter's belly with his fingertips and pressed a chaste kiss to Eren's tanned
shoulder.
"Good... I love you, Eren. You're the only one for me," he murmured against the
soft skin beneath his lips and sighed contentedly, pleased to have the scent of
his omega all around him and mingling with his own, effectively erasing the
remnants of the other omega's from before. "Why don't you take a nap? I'll
bring you dinner when you wake up."
"I love you too," Eren whispered. "You don't have to bring me dinner. I can
still sit up by myself, you know," he said idly, "Though that probably won't
last long, huh?" He smiled slightly, closing his green eyes.
Levi hummed his amusement, "Yeah, maybe another month if you're lucky, then
you'll be enormous... I want to bring you dinner... We'll eat together in here
tonight... It'll be like a little date, how's that sound?" He replied in a
smooth tone and smiled when he felt their child stir under the press of his
hand, "I think the baby likes the idea."
Eren's small smile bloomed beautifully on his face. "Well, I like that idea
too. The baby just agrees with me is all."
Levi nipped the boy's shoulder teasingly and curled himself around Eren,
pulling him as close as was physically possible. "Then we're all in agreement.
Get some rest, love. I'll be here when you wake up."
The omega's smile softened, but didn't fade. Levi knew just what Eren needed
and when he needed it. He took naps a lot after lunch these days, but today
he'd stayed awake to wait for Levi. It wasn't long before the warm embrace of
his alpha prompted him to fall asleep.
Levi laid awake, propped up on an elbow with his cheek resting in his palm,
other hand drifting through Eren's silky hair as he watched him sleep. The
arousal had mostly subsided, his member finally gone soft, though the simmering
burn of desire still fizzled in the pit of his stomach. He sighed softly,
breath heavy before he inhaled deeply again.
"I wish I knew how to make things better for you, baby... I'm doing all I can,"
he spoke in barely more than a whisper to the sleeping boy. He wanted Eren's
contagious smile back, his devil may care attitude and careless laughter; he
knew it was still there, hidden away somewhere inside his mate. Eren was too
cautious now, easily startled and frightened, especially when it involved Levi
being away from him for extended periods of time. It was why Levi always made
sure to train within view of the windows of their room, being sure the boy
could see him if he needed to. Eren was improving steadily, but slowly and now
Levi wasn't sure if what had happened between them that afternoon was a step
forward or backward, whether marking Eren again would help the boy ahead or if
his refusal to accept the offered sex would set back Eren's confidence further.
Maybe he should talk to Hanji about it... Thinking about it, he needed to have
a conversation with a couple of meddling brats as well. But that could wait.
The date would hopefully cement the sentiments he'd voiced to his omega
earlier. Levi had no intention of ever leaving Eren or fucking anyone else. The
thought alone disgusted him. He'd never taken an omega before and he never
would, aside from Eren. He had absolutely no desire for anyone other than the
shifter boy, if only he could convince said boy of that...
It was a couple hours later when Levi crept out of the room to retrieve dinner
for them, which was surprisingly a decent spread. Baked potatoes, wild pheasant
that some recruits had caught, biscuits with butter, and sweet peas that grew
along with wild berries in the woods surrounding the safe house; there was even
gravy. He carried the food on a tray along with two tall glasses of water and a
small bowl of mixed berries for dessert, entering their quarters and using his
foot to push the door closed behind him, locking it immediately though he'd
already given express orders that they were not to be disturbed unless it was a
matter of life or death.
Eren awoke to the sound of footsteps and the smell of warm food, the scent of
gravy immediately filling his nose. His eyes fluttered open, long dark lashes
waving slightly as he blinked. He rubbed his eyes, rolling over to face his
alpha, who stood with a tray of food. “Dinner already?” he asked, sitting up
with a bit of difficulty.
Levi's lips twitched into a little grin as he watched his mate struggle to
straighten himself into a sitting position on their bed. "Mhmm, dessert too.
Hope you're hungry, brat," he said as he padded over to the bed and sat next to
Eren, pulling one leg up and resting the tray between them lightly.
“I’m always hungry,” Eren pointed out, smiling as he reached for a berry,
popping it into his mouth.
Levi snatched the bowl of berries off the tray and set it behind him, giving
the boy a scolding look that wasn't nearly as effective given the little grin
on his lips and the light of amusement in his eyes. "Dinner before dessert,
brat, or the baby's going to be born with bad habits."
“If he’s born with any bad habits, he’ll be born with that mouth of yours,
calling everyone shit stains and brats,” Eren snorted, trying to reach around
Levi for the berries just to tease him, though of course Eren’s movements
weren’t very fast in his state.
Levi chuckled, "It'll be cuter coming from a child than it is from me. Can you
imagine the first time the brat calls Hanji shitty glasses? She'd be ecstatic,"
he replied, idly keeping the berries away from his mate teasingly for a moment
before giving in and offering the whole bowl to the boy. "Besides, if all he
gets from me is my shitty language, we'll be lucky," he said idly, picking up
his utensils to dig in, actually looking forward to the shared meal with his
mate.
Eren laughed as he popped another berry into his mouth, setting the bowl aside
to eat his dinner. “I hope he doesn’t get your shitty language, who knows how
bad he’ll be with the other captains. He’ll definitely be a handful,” said
Eren. “You know they don’t take any disrespect, and neither do you. I hope he
gets your eyes, though,” the omega admitted.
"Mm, why mine? Yours are much prettier," the older male commented idly before
taking a bite of his food, humming appreciatively at the taste.
“I don’t think so,” argued Eren, looking into Levi’s eyes and giving him a
small, shy smile. “Your eyes are perfect.”
"If you say so, brat. Guess we'll agree to disagree," Levi replied, holding the
eye contact, warm affection glowing in the mercury depths. He felt every bit of
tension seeping out of him, relaxing in their space, grateful for the moment's
peace, just him and Eren and the little life growing inside the boy.
They talked for long hours, finishing dinner and preparing for bed, cuddling
while Levi read the fairy tales to Eren and the baby, even changing his voice
for each character to make the omega smile while rubbing his hand over Eren's
belly. It was exactly what they'd both needed and during the next couple of
weeks, Levi made it a point to repeat the evening several times. After each
date with his mate, he slept better and found himself far less stressed upon
waking the following mornings, making the days much more bearable. Those
evenings seemed to be good for the both of them.
 
***** Patchwork Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
It had become Eren’s favorite part of the evening to settle down after dinner
and listen to Levi read stories to him and the baby. He’d even convinced Levi
to make up new stories a few times and loved them all, despite the fact they
were mostly about a stupid, four-eyed dragon and a beautiful princess named
bright eyes.
Eren had been waiting for Levi to come home all day, as the man was running a
bit late, but Eren had fallen asleep while he was waiting this time. He
couldn’t sit up by himself anymore, and Levi always thought that was just
hilarious until Eren would pull Levi down on the bed with him. Eren hadn’t even
done much that day besides help make lunch, and he was already exhausted due to
the added weight. He was sleeping like a baby.
Levi cursed everyone and everything as he made his way to the room he shared
with his mate. He'd planned to be back far sooner than he was. He was late due
to the meeting he'd had with the others going over the preliminary mission
plans and the intel that had been gathered on the movements of both the MP and
Survey Corps and adjusting their own plans accordingly. It was frustrating and
exhausting, and he was anxious to see his very pregnant mate and simply curl up
in their bed with him. It was getting harder for Levi to leave Eren in the
mornings, instincts pressuring him to stick close to the boy more and more as
his pregnancy progressed. How the hell was he going to leave Eren when the time
came?
It was already after dinner and dark outside the windows, moonlight bathing his
sleeping mate in ethereal light. The sight made Levi stop as soon as he came
into their quarters, breath catching in his throat. He exhaled the slow, silent
breath, locking their door without looking and undressing quietly, eyes stuck
on the beautiful omega curled in their sheets, peaceful in the dappled
starlight. He carefully climbed into the bed next to his mate and immediately
coaxed the boy into his embrace, whispering apologies and love into Eren's hair
as he snuggled him and palmed his bulging belly before closing his own eyes,
fully content to join his mate in slumber.
Eren let out a contented sigh, pressing himself into Levi’s arms, as close as
he could get with his belly in the way, inside of which the baby stirred at the
recognition of its father. The omega let out sleepy little noises, curling into
his alpha as the moonlight washed over them.
===============================================================================
 Levi woke abruptly some hours later and took several long seconds to
understand what it was that had woken him in the first place. There was a
familiar and entirely pleasant scent in the air and he inhaled deeply before
the recognition of what the scent was dawned on him, followed directly by the
heated throbbing of his cock between his legs. He groaned lowly, voice husky
and hoarse from sleep and burgeoning desire. He couldn't quite process what was
going on, brain still trying to catch up with the current situation.
Eren was rutting against his alpha’s leg, arms wrapped around his mate's
midsection and belly pressed into the man’s side. “Levi,” he whined, panting as
the wetness of arousal seeped through his underwear. But, he was still asleep.
Though, his dream wasn’t unrealistic. Levi was teasing Eren, one hand teasing
his cock and the other inserting several fingers into his plump little hole,
the omega unable to hold in his moans.
Levi blinked dilated eyes slowly, body buzzing with arousal, breathing becoming
heavier as the scent of his mate's slick permeated their room and sent his
instincts into overdrive, mind desperately trying to remind him that Eren
wasn't ready; he wasn't even aware of what he was doing at the moment.
The alpha's hands were at his mate's hips instantly, but he had a hard time
forcing Eren's movements still. His head was foggy with lust; Eren's scent was
so potent and the needy lilting of his name from his omega's mouth made his
cock ache.
"Er-en..." His voice cracked roughly, needing the boy to wake up before he lost
control of himself, blindsided as he was by the ferocious arousal.
Eren’s hands gripped at Levi’s chest, shaking as he moaned once more. The omega
automatically kicked off the blankets, heated from his arousal and annoyed by
the excess material hindering his movements.
Levi cursed breathily, hands tightening, almost bruising on the plump hips of
his mate and fighting down the urge to rut back against the boy. The scent of
the omega's excitement intensified when he kicked the covers away from them and
Levi hissed between his teeth as tanned fingers groped at his chest
desperately.
"Fuck! Baby, wake up... You gotta wake up," he groaned shakily, shuddering as
the hot wetness of Eren's slick seeped through the boy's underwear and dampened
Levi's thigh while Eren thrust his stiff cock against him lewdly.
Eren groaned, tossing and turning a bit before his eyes groggily fluttered open
a crack. The first thing that hit him was the smell. It smelled like… Heat. It
honestly smelled like it had when Eren had been in heat. He smelled Levi’s
arousal as well as his own. He shifted, feeling his body drenched in sweat and
slick. “Wha..?”
Levi panted and gave the hips in his hold a squeeze, looking at his groggy mate
from half lidded eyes clouded with lust. "You were dreaming, baby. I can't... I
have to calm down... I'm going to go to the bathroom," he said breathlessly,
reluctant to pull away from his mate, but if he stayed, he couldn't trust
himself, not with how good Eren smelled, how intoxicating.
Eren panted in confusion, wiping the sweat off his forehead. “What? What was I-
“ the omega stammered in confusion as Levi got up. “L-Levi, I’m so-Levi--“ Eren
stammered. He was horny, but he wasn’t ready for sex. He was so incredibly
confused. Had he... Been dreaming? About Levi? That hadn’t happened since
before they were together...
"It's okay... It's okay, baby... I'll be back in a few minutes... I just can't
stay here with you right now... You are too tempting like this," he said, words
rushed and guttural, movements awkward due to the thick and throbbing member
stiff between his thighs.
He glanced at Eren and couldn't stifle another low groan, the scent of his own
need spiking intensely as he took in the flushed and sweaty skin that gleamed
in the dull starlight and he could feel his mouth water, desperate to taste. He
wanted him... He wanted him so badly. It had been easy to restrain himself when
Eren had so obviously not wanted sex, but this was different. The scent of the
omega's arousal was on his skin, in the air all around him, in his nose and
tickling enticingly at the back of his throat; he could practically taste it.
And it had been so long...
"A-alright," Eren stammered, propping himself up a bit on the pillows, though
unable to sit up all the way. "Hurry back," he requested sweetly, though inside
he was completely freaking out. What the hell was going on? What had he done in
his sleep?
Levi swallowed hard and tried to force his feet to move, legs feeling like
lead. "Are you... Will you be alright?" He would be longer away than he'd
implied and he didn't like the idea of leaving Eren vulnerable... There were
too many other alphas nearby... He was torn between his instincts and his head.
Eren seemed so confused, afraid almost. Levi wanted to comfort him, but if he
touched him again, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop.
"I-I'll be alright, take your time," Eren assured the alpha. "I've just-- I've
got to calm down. We both do," he breathed.
Levi's jaw twitched and his hands clenched and unclenched. He gave a jerky nod
and took tense steps out of the room, closing the door behind him as quickly
and quietly as possible before rushing to the bathroom. His underwear were
shoved down just enough to free his straining cock and he growled as he fisted
it, panting harshly through his nose, savouring the lingering scent of Eren's
arousal and allowing it to facilitate images and fantasies of the boy.
"Eren..."
Eren laid in the bed, staring up at the ceiling as he rubbed gentle circles on
his belly, taking deep breaths in and out, trying to control his racing heart.
He hadn't felt any form of arousal since his... Incident, and Levi obviously
didn't want to have sex with him until he was ready; the alpha had made it very
clear not so long ago. Eren wasn't ready, so why had he had such a dream? Did
he really miss sex with Levi that much? It was getting so close to the baby
coming anyway; he wasn't even sure if they could have sex. A part of him...
Really, really wanted sex, wanted that intimate connection desperately. But he
just wasn't ready.
Levi laid his sweaty forehead against his forearm propped along the bathroom
door, rough grunts and guttural renditions of Eren's name escaping on harsh
panted breaths as his hips rutted into his own hand desperately. It wasn't
enough... Fuck... He wanted his mate. He wanted Eren's lips, his breath, his
moans... He wanted his scent and those soft thighs at his waist, the bite of
blunt nails in his back and the sharp sting of teeth on his neck... He wanted
Eren. And it hurt not to be able to have him. Because of them ... He growled
and hit his clenched fist against the wall in frustration.
The baby stirred, rolling over within Eren which made the omega grunt, having
to hold back peeing himself as the baby decided his bladder made a great
pillow. Sometimes he felt like the baby did this on purpose. "Yeah, I know...
Mommy's confused too," Eren mumbled, stroking his belly unconsciously. "Why am
I talking to you about sex...? You're just a baby," Eren sighed. "My baby...
Who won't be having sex until you're at least thirty."
Levi's eyes were closed so tightly, he saw white spots on his eyelids and he
bit his bottom lip hard. He banged his fist against the wall again, growling as
the slick sounds of his motions over his erection filled the small room along
with his thick scent, angry frustration threading through the heady lust.
It was taking too fucking long. He sped up, tightening his grip almost
painfully in the hopes of bringing himself off quicker. It worked in a sense.
He came, grunting and tensing, losing his breath a moment and shivering in the
aftermath, but he was still hard; no knot, no fucking relief.
He hissed angrily and yanked his underwear back into place. He washed shaky
hands and cleaned up the mess he'd made, cursing his body and the stupidity of
instincts. He had to go back to Eren, had to be certain his omega was safe;
he'd been away too long already.
He looked at the tented fabric at his crotch disgustedly, swearing colourfully
under his breath as he wrenched the rest room door open and stalked back to
their quarters, more tense and harder than when he'd left in the first place.
But he couldn't leave Eren alone any longer, even if it meant he had to sleep
against the damned door to keep from touching the boy.
Eren tried to sit up when Levi entered the room, but just ended up flat on his
back again with a grunt. The man smelled angry, yet still aroused. He could
still practically smell the pre-cum leaking from inside the man's underwear.
"Levi?" Eren croaked in confusion. "Are you alright?" Was Levi angry that Eren
had teased him like that in his sleep? Was Levi upset they couldn't have sex?
Or had something else happened?
"I'm fine. It's nothing for you to worry about, baby. You just try to go back
to sleep... I'm... I'm going to stay up for a while," he grated out breathily,
pacing in front of the locked door to keep from going back to the bed and the
beautiful boy laying in it like a fucking gift. He glanced at the omega
periodically, but only for the briefest seconds lest he give in and rush over
to him.
"I... Was thinking about taking a bath. I don't feel quite right," Eren
admitted, looking over at Levi by peering over his belly. "But I would need
your help getting up." Was he asking too much of Levi? The man already looked
completely wrecked; was it fair for Eren to ask Levi to come closer and
physically touch him?
Levi stilled, closing his eyes and breathing in and out slowly for several
seconds before he opened them again and looked at his mate. "Okay, I can... I
can do that, but I can't leave you in the bathroom by yourself," he agreed. He
knew he wouldn't want to let him go once he had him in his arms, but he was
going to force himself to do it for Eren. His mate was most important. If Eren
wanted a bath, Levi would provide it, whether it was painful for him or not.
He took a couple slow, deliberate steps towards the bed, gaze locked on his
mate, not reaching out for him until Eren gave express permission.
Eren opened his arms and let Levi wrap his arms around him, one hand under
Eren's lower back to help guide him into a sitting position, and of course Eren
held onto Levi's hands as he stood up. Levi was always afraid of Eren getting
up and walking around by himself, like the baby was too heavy and the omega
would just suddenly collapse dramatically from the weight. The baby was heavy,
but not that heavy. Though, the omega did have to be careful and go slower
these days; he felt like an old person sometimes.
Levi inhaled deeply and couldn't stop himself from pressing his face into
Eren's neck when he helped him up, just for a moment. He just smelled so
fucking good...
He let the omega go reluctantly once they were both upright, placing a
steadying hand at Eren's lower back to maintain contact as long as possible as
he led the youth from their room. His gaze scanned the corridor intently,
searching for any threats lurking in the shadows. Thankfully, there were none.
It was still the middle of the night, only the soldiers on watch duty would be
up patrolling.
He locked the bathroom door and stood against it once they were inside,
immediately distancing himself from Eren once he'd turned on the faucet and
placed the plug in the drain for his mate, keeping his gaze averted from Eren's
body.
Eren sat down on the edge of the tub, carefully removing his clothing, watching
the way Levi refused to look at him. "What, you afraid to see how big I've
gotten?" Eren tried to joke half heartedly, though the tension was still thick
in the air.
Levi shook his head. "No, baby, I'm afraid if I look at you, I'm going to have
to touch you," he replied honestly, still keeping his eyes off the boy. He
didn't want Eren to think that he found him unattractive in any way even if
Eren's tone sounded only half serious.
Eren felt his cheeks go even redder than they'd been in the first place. "I
see," he whispered. The pajama pants and underwear Eren had discarded were wet
with slick, and the omega tried to ignore how embarrassed he felt as he lowered
himself into the tub.
Levi let out a heavy sigh and slumped back against the door, sliding down to
sit on the floor, head hung between his bent knees. He had his eyes closed and
was simply breathing as he listened to the soft sound of Eren's movements in
the warm water. His omega was safe... He hadn't lost control. Everything was
alright.
His arousal was still entirely strong, not waning in the slightest, but he had
at least garnered enough faith in himself to restrain the urge to take the boy.
It wasn't Eren's fault.
The teen closed his eyes, resting against the cool edge of the tub as one hand
gently came up to cup and then pour little handfuls of water soothingly over
his stomach since it didn't completely fit under water. He hummed an unknown
tune, directing it toward the baby as though he'd even forgotten Levi was in
the room; the alpha was being so quiet.
Levi's head thumped back against the door with a dull sound and he looked up at
the ceiling pleadingly. He begged his body to calm down, just stop... It was
mistaken... Eren wasn't ready... He would be eventually and they would be able
to be together, but not now... Not yet... Patience...
It had never been so damn difficult before; maybe when Eren had first went into
heat, but at least then, he could give in... Eren had been willing then, but
now... He inhaled sharply and held it for several moments before he released it
in a shaky sigh.
Eren looked up at Levi when he heard the man sigh. "Do you need anything?" He
asked stupidly. He was in the tub; what the hell could he possibly get for
Levi?
"Nothing you can give me right now, baby. You just relax and enjoy your bath.
I'm sorry I can't give you more privacy," he replied, voice quiet and a little
hoarse, strained around the words.
"It's alright, I don't want to be away from you anyway," Eren replied softly,
cheek pressed against the edge of the tub before he grimaced, a slight noise
escaping him as he felt a rather sharp stab of pain in his lower abdomen. That
had been happening a lot lately. They were only false contractions, the same
thing Eren had gotten months ago from stress, but now, according to Hanji, they
were simply happening because the baby was getting more and more eager to come
out. Levi had flipped shit and rushed Eren to Hanji the first time it had
happened two weeks previous. This, of course, prompted the four-eyed scientist
to giggle at the over protective daddy, which didn't quite blow over well with
Levi. Eren didn't mind having the false labour pains, glad to know their baby
was healthy. The only thing that bothered him about it was that it meant he was
getting closer and closer to the actual birth. It made him shudder.
The noise that escaped Eren had the alpha across the floor in moments, kneeling
rigidly next to the bathtub, a low croon bubbling from his throat, the sound
huskier than usual. "Are you alright?" He questioned, concern in his silver
eyes, overlaid by simmering desire and a thread of hurt, one pale hand reaching
to sooth before he could stop the instinctive and familiar motion, cutting it
short with abrupt realization, subtly trembling fingers stilled inches from
brushing against the smooth curve of a soft cheek. He swallowed hard, wanting
to apologize, but unsure what for...
Eren instinctively reached out without hesitation, taking the hand Levi had
extended and holding it in his own, pressing it against his cheek. "I'm
alright," the omega assured, unable to let go of Levi's hand. "I'll be
alright," he breathed, sinking a bit lower into the tub.
Levi swallowed hard, wintery gaze intent on the boy, his fingertips rubbing
reverently against the soft smooth skin. He shuddered when Eren grasped at his
hand, breath hitching just a little and he leaned in further as if he wanted to
kiss the boy, which he did desperately want to. He didn't, though, simply
leaned in and watched his mate intently.
The omega still held Levi's hand against his cheek, closing his eyes again. "I
think the baby's coming soon," he whispered. "I'm getting more and more Braxton
pains..." He wasn't sure how soon the baby would come, but definitely soon.
After all, he was nearing the end of his pregnancy. And maybe talking about
their baby would help Levi to snap out of his arousal, and... Eren, too, for
that matter.
The alpha's gaze flickered from Eren's face to his belly, his other hand
automatically reaching to flatten against the damp skin, feeling the fluttering
of life within and tensing of false labour contractions.
"Soon, but not yet," he said quietly, rubbing his hand soothingly over the
fleshy mound. It helped marginally to distract him from his desire, not enough
to stop the subtle quaking of tightly wound muscles or the throbbing between
his legs, but it was enough that he could control the urge to climb right into
the tub with his mate. He let out a shuddering breath, closing and opening his
eyes slowly.
Eren dropped the hand holding Levi's at his cheek to rest it on top of the one
on his belly instead, sighing as he did before his forehead was suddenly
resting against Levi's shoulder, abruptly exhausted. He knew he shouldn't be
doing this to Levi, but he couldn't help himself. He needed the comfort of his
alpha at a time like this.
Levi let out a soft sound somewhere between a desperate whine and a croon of
comfort, caught between warring instincts and he leaned into the press of the
boy's head against his shoulder, nuzzling the top of his head and inhaling
deeply, reveling in the honey cream scent mixed with the lingering arousal and
his fingers twitched against the omega's belly, but he didn't move further.
"You know, I think if I have a choice in it, I'll want to do a water birth,"
Eren breathed out, rocking back and forth a bit. "The pain isn't so bad in the
water." Or maybe it was the calming scent radiating from his alpha and the soft
comfort of his touches.
The older male hummed huskily, "Whatever you want, baby." He rubbed his nose
and cheeks on the boy's hair, scenting him without much conscious thought.
"Eren... What... What were you dreaming about?" He asked, the sudden question
barely audible, the rough murmur muffled against the messy chocolate strands on
the omega's head.
Eren felt his cheeks grow red and he kept his forehead pressed against Levi's
shoulder to hide it. "Uhm..." The omega shrugged slightly. "I don't remember,"
he lied, voice a bit shaky since he wasn't the best at lying to the man.
Levi could hear the lie in Eren's reply, but didn't immediately call him out on
it, unsure if it was just embarrassment, or something more that made the boy
feel he had to lie. "It must have been some dream," he finally murmured lowly,
still rubbing his face lightly against his mate's hair. He wanted to touch him
more, to cover Eren with his body and mingle their scents further, to drown
Eren in his scent and be drowned in the omega's in turn. Maybe if he could keep
control over his baser desires, the boy would let him scent him when they
finally returned to bed.
"I-It was," Eren replied. "Was I... Talking in my sleep?" Eren asked worriedly.
"Or-- Doing anything? What made you wake up?"
The alpha stilled, though the tremors in his limbs did not stop and his licked
his lips. "You were... You called my name... And you were rubbing up against
me... I could feel you getting wet... Your scent was what woke me up to begin
with... I'm sorry I couldn't explain before," he explained in a strained tone,
barely above a choked whisper.
The brunette nodded slowly in understanding before his face fell into his hands
in embarrassment and he groaned. "I can't believe I did that!"
"It's... It's alright, baby... You didn't do anything wrong... I just wasn't
prepared..." The alpha soothed, slowly running his hand up the omega's
distended tummy until his fingers dipped into the water, cupping some of the
warm liquid and pouring it over the cooling flesh.
"I don't know why I did that," Eren whispered, shaking his head. "I don't
even... I haven't even been horny. I'm not even ready to have sex again, but I-
I wanted you so badly. I don't know what happened," he confessed.
Levi inhaled a deep breath and held it a moment before releasing it slowly
between pale, parted lips, nodding his head. "Maybe it's because of the
pregnancy... Maybe it's a sign that you're starting to heal... I don't know..."
He wet his lips again and repeated the motion of his hand, dipping into the
water and wetting Eren's belly again, finding the act soothing and distracting
from the flare of eager arousal that burned in his gut at the prospect of his
mate becoming more comfortable with intimacy again.
"I don't know, I've been thinking about it a lot," Eren whispered. "I-I miss
it... I miss it so much, but I..." He shook his head. "I'm scared." The
soothing trickle of water on his belly helped calm him, but he was still quite
nervous.
"I... I miss it too... It's alright to be scared... I'm a little scared
myself..." The alpha responded, eyes watching the slow, methodical movements of
his hand. He wanted Eren desperately, but there was a sense of apprehension
buried beneath the lust. He didn't want to hurt Eren or frighten him if... When
they finally tried to make love again.
"You're scared too?" Eren questioned, a bit confused, "But you're never scared
of anything..."
"Of course I get scared... I'm just better at hiding it," Levi admitted
quietly, settling his palm on the roundness again, still shaky, but not as bad
as it had been.
Eren rubbed in between Levi's fingers. "Can we start...Trying... Again? I mean,
not necessarily sex, but other things..?" He asked hesitantly.
The alpha's eyes widened fractionally in surprise, unprepared for such a
suggestion and his mouth went dry. He swallowed, tongue feeling thick in his
mouth. "If that's something you want," he agreed breathily, afraid to hope for
anything more, but desperately wanting it.
"Are you sure?" Eren whispered, breath catching in his throat. "Are you sure
you're okay with it? And maybe we should ask Hanji... To make sure it's okay
for the baby..."
"Why wouldn't I be okay with it? I'll do anything for you, Eren... I think it
will be alright as long as we're careful... But if you want to make sure with
Hanji first, that's fine," he replied, recalling what the scientist had told
him previously in a long ago conversation before everything had been changed
for them; she'd said that sex was fine, just nothing too rough or strenuous
once Eren was close to his due date since it could possibly induce labour.
Eren gave a slight nod, cheeks still bright red. "I... I want to try... Doing
some of that stuff," said Eren, "We'll just have to go slow." His hand came to
his stomach, gently pressing against where the baby gave a rather harsh kick.
Levi nodded, "Of course, whatever you want, baby," craning his neck to drop a
gentle kiss on Eren's temple. "I think the brat's practicing my 3DMG moves in
there. Maybe he does take after me after all," he said, feeling the intent
fluttering beneath the boy's flesh, covering Eren's hand with his own on his
belly. He was suprisingly elated by Eren's desire to at least try getting more
intimate. It wasn't what they'd had previously, but it was a step in the right
direction and he was grateful that the omega appeared to be healing the unseen
scars, slowly, but he was healing and it warmed Levi inside. He kissed his
temple again, smiling just the slightest against the skin.
The omega's lips twitched slightly in an attempt to smile and he moved to wrap
his arms around Levi's neck and bury his face in the warm skin, rubbing his
neck against Levi's rather intensely. "I'm sorry I had that dream," he laughed
slightly.
"Don't be... I'm sorry I don't have better control around you," Levi responded,
tilting his head and humming appreciatively as his mate rubbed their necks
together intently, keeping a firm grasp on his instinct to draw the boy out of
the bath and against him in a desperate attempt to feel his skin against his
own.
"Ready to get out and go back to bed, brat?"
Eren pouted, shrugging slightly. “I’ll get all cold,” he whined, fingers lacing
in between Levi’s gently.
Levi chuckled, the sound barely more than a breath. "I'll carry you and keep
you warm, how's that?" he offered, giving the fingers laced between his own a
little squeeze.
Eren nodded slightly, face still in Levi’s neck. “If you think you can lift
me,” he chuckled.
"Tch, you aren't that heavy, brat," the alpha scoffed, taking a second to
collect Eren's discarded underwear and pajama bottoms with one damp hand and
tossing them on his shoulder, doing his best not to inhale the alluring scent
emanating from the fabric before moving to stand, bending awkwardly a second or
two in order to pull the boy from the bathtub. He slipped one arm beneath
Eren's knees and curled the other around his back, muscles tensing as he lifted
his pregnant mate's weight from the water, careful not to let him slip from his
grip. He stood up and turned towards the door, pausing to jerk his chin at the
towels hung neatly to the side of the door, "Grab a couple of those for me,
would you, baby?" he requested, unable to do it himself with his hands full.
They were both rather wet from the excess water on Eren's skin, but he didn't
care, intent to get the both of them back to the privacy of their room. They
could dry off there and cuddle in bed. He ignored the stubborn stiffness still
lingering between his legs; he'd just have to put a pillow between them once
they laid back down since his body was being so obstinate.
Eren grabbed a few towels and Levi carried them back to the room, Eren wrapped
tightly around his alpha. This would probably be one of the last times Levi
could lift Eren at least relatively comfortably. The omega’s belly was squished
between his knees and his chest, making it a bit harder to breathe than usual,
but he didn’t quite mind it as long as he could still breathe.
Levi carried Eren into the room and soon enough he was setting the soaked omega
down on the bed, and Eren immediately felt himself get wrapped in a fluffy
towel, one that made him hum contentedly. The alpha spent long minutes drying
his mate's skin with the fluffy terrycloth, enjoying spoiling the boy, doting
on him in what was a perfect distraction from the heat beneath his own skin. He
was finding himself smiling at the pleased sounds coming from the boy in
response to the gentle attention.
Once he was satisfied that Eren was dried sufficiently, he ran the towel over
his own chest and stomach with quick efficiency before dropping it to the floor
along with the discarded clothing. He stripped his soiled underwear off,
grimacing when his eager cock sprung out into the cool air, interest peaked by
the lingering heavy scent still permeating their quarters. He refused to look
down at it and stepped awkwardly to retrieve a fresh pair of underpants from
the cabinet.
Eren couldn’t help looking at Levi’s… Lower region, despite the fact he tried
to control himself. It made his heart pound and butterflies flutter in his
stomach, but it also made him feel so nervous, he could puke. He just wished
they could get this over with, that they could do it whenever they pleased like
before and that Eren wasn’t afraid of sex. How he wished he wasn’t afraid of
sex... Eren didn’t bother dressing, just curling up in the other soft towels
and blankets on the bed that still smelled of his slick.
The alpha shimmied into the clean undergarments, tucking himself in with a soft
grunt, resisting the urge to palm at his erection and adjusting the fabric over
the bulge with pursed lips before he stepped over to the bed and crawled into
the somewhat damp sheets beside his mate. He curled up around the omega,
forcing his hips back away from the tantalizing tanned body mostly covered by
towels and bedding, and he pressed his face against the soft, scarred skin at
the crook of Eren's shoulder. "Feel better now, baby?" he asked as he spread
his hand over Eren's belly in unconscious habit.
Eren nodded. "Yeah, I do," he admitted. "Do you?" He questioned the alpha,
hands settling on top of Levi's as he yawned.
"I'll be fine," Levi assured, rubbing his nose along the boy's collarbone
before placing an affectionate kiss against it and pressing his upper body
closer to the omega's, "Don't worry about me. Go to sleep."
"Can I admit something to you?" Eren asked quietly, continuing before Levi
could answer. "This was the first night I didn't have a nightmare. I know it
was... Still a strange dream, but it made me feel a lot better than a
nightmare."
The alpha hummed, nuzzling the boy's throat comfortingly. "Good. I wish I could
keep you from having nightmares at all, but I guess dirty dreams about me are
good enough," he murmured, lips brushing skin ticklishly with his words.
Eren gave a slight smile in response to the words, sinking back against Levi
and closing his eyes, too exhausted to even attempt keeping them open. "I love
you..." He told the alpha sleepily.
"Love you too, brat, more than I have words for," he sighed against the boy's
skin, holding him close and closing his own eyes tiredly.
Eren slept better that night than he had in a long time. He didn't stir; he
didn't whine and he didn't have any nightmares. He felt completely safe in his
alpha's embrace as he slept.
===============================================================================
 Levi didn't recall falling asleep, but woke warm in the morning with Eren
tucked against him comfortably and he smiled, feeling the stirring of their
baby beneath his palm still spread protectively over his mate's belly. He
hummed approvingly and pressed his face into Eren's neck, rubbing his nose
along the column of his throat, inhaling deeply and pressing affectionate
kisses to the sleep-slowed pulse there, not really intending to wake the boy,
but unable to stop the desire for contact with him.
He was thankfully no longer hard, though the warmth of want was still resting
in the pit of his stomach; at least it was no longer boiling ferociously as it
had been and he didn't feel like he was going to lose his damn mind. He sighed
against Eren's neck, brushing his fingertips lightly over the omega's smooth
skin beneath the sheets, just touching him, stroking the pale digits along the
side of his belly and down to his hips before dragging them back up along his
side and over his chest, pulling back from Eren's neck after a moment to prop
himself up on his other arm to watch Eren waking.
Eren's eyelids twitched before slowly cracking open, vision hazy with sleep as
he woke, a hoarse whine escaping his throat as he rolled over to bury his face
in Levi's chest, obviously none too keen on welcoming the morning.
Levi chuckled low and husky with remnants of slumber as Eren whined and buried
his face against his chest like a sleepy child. He trailed his fingers over the
boy's shoulder and to his head, stroking through his tangled hair gently. "Good
morning, baby. Did you sleep well?" he asked, tone hushed and rough as his
chuckle had been, shifting under the sheets against the omega's warm, naked
body.
Eren nodded sleepily, refusing to move his face away from the alpha's chest as
he snuggled against him. "Still tired," he complained.
Levi didn't even bother to look at the time, uncaring if he would be late. He
could afford to miss a couple hours, maybe the whole day if he couldn't manage
to drag himself away from his mate at some point. He hummed and threaded his
fingers through the hair at the back of Eren's head, massaging his scalp
soothingly. "Go back to sleep if you're still tired, baby. I'm not going
anywhere," he promised, breathing deeply, a pleasant purring hum reverberating
through his chest, content with the intimate morning cuddling.
Eren hummed, giving a slight whine. He was tired, but he wasn't sure if he
could sleep. He was so uncomfortable; he felt so damn heavy. "I can't..." He
mumbled in disappointment.
"Mh? What's the matter?" the alpha inquired, concern seeping into the tone as
he continued to caress his fingers through Eren's hair back to his nape and
rubbing there soothingly.
"I'm dying," Eren replied hoarsely, voice muffled against Levi's chest.
Levi chuckled again, though he tried to hold it back, shaking his head a
little. “I hardly think that's the case, baby. If you're sore, I can give you a
massage," he offered gently, sitting up a bit more, as much as he could without
jostling Eren too much.
"Would you?" Eren questioned, though he knew Levi would. The omega kept his
eyes closed sleepily, fully expecting his request to be met.
"Of course," Levi agreed immediately, shifting to reach for a bottle of lotion
that Hanji had given them a few weeks previous for this exact purpose. It was
supposed to help with the scars as well and he never refused to massage it into
his pregnant mate when Eren asked.
He pushed the bedding and twisted terrycloth towel down around his mate's hips,
revealing his upper body, but keeping his nudity hidden beneath the rumpled
sheets. He hummed his appreciation, eyes on the sleep tousled and lazily
sprawled form before him as he poured a generous dollop of the lightly scented
lotion into the palm of his left hand before closing the bottle back up and
dropping it next to him. He warmed the lotion between his hands and laid them
on Eren's shoulders, thumbs caressing along his collar tenderly, palms warm and
slick against his mate's skin as he began massaging him with slow and tender
motions, moving from his shoulders to his chest and along his sides, pausing to
get more lotion before he moved onto the firm mound of his belly.
Eren gave a soft hum of contentment and appreciation, head lolling back and
forth as Levi massaged the tender skin. He felt completely relaxed, more
relaxed than he'd felt in at least two months.
"Good?" Levi asked, voice thick as he watched the motions of his hands over
Eren's flesh, admiring the contrast of their skin tones as he continued rubbing
in the soothing lotion. It was extremely satisfying watching Eren relax under
his ministrations, turning nearly boneless in the bed.
Eren gave a lazy nod, leaning his head back against Levi. "So good," he
admitted in a hoarse purr, teeth biting at his bottom lip to keep pleasured
noises from escaping him.
"Mmn, good," Levi murmured, smoothing his hands over Eren's body, fingertips
caressing teasingly against the plump hips beneath the sheets, vaguely
suggestive, but affectionate and tender as he ghosted his touch against the
warm flesh.
Eren felt his hips instinctively roll, body shuddering a bit as his back
arched. Was he getting aroused?
The alpha hummed and massaged the pads of his thumbs against the soft skin over
Eren's hip bones, pleased by the reaction he'd received and attempting to have
the omega repeat the slow roll of his hips into the touch. There was a subtle
scent beginning to waft into the air around them, but the alpha wasn't sure if
it was simply left over from the previous night or if it was budding arousal
fresh from his mate.
Eren's fingers twisted into the sheets below him, trying to ignore the steady
arousal building up in his system. He didn't usually get aroused when Levi
massaged him; for god's sake he was sore and tired, that's why Levi was
massaging him in the first place. But his hips rolled again and a sudden moan
of pleasure escaped his plump lips before he could stop it.
Levi's eyes flicked up to Eren's face at the sound of pleasure that escaped the
boy's mouth and he licked his dry lips, pupils dilating rapidly. So it was
fresh arousal... "Eren," he called breathily, rubbing his fingers along the
boy's hips and trailing them a little lower along his outer thighs, shifting on
the bed to be better able to reach, touch still tentative and gentle, uncertain
on how far he should take this.
"Y-Yeah?" Eren breathed, failing at hiding his arousal.
Levi inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly, fingers stilling against
Eren's thighs. "Are you... Should I... What do you want?" he finally managed,
uncertain how to approach the situation without pressuring Eren. His own
arousal burned electric under his skin in response to the scent of his mate's,
but he wasn't half asleep this time and kept a tight tourniquet on his desires
as he watched the boy, fingers twitching against his soft legs. This was
entirely about Eren; if he wanted more, Levi would give it to him without
question, but he would restrain himself from taking his own desires out on his
vulnerable mate. He needed the omega to know he was in control, that the alpha
would not do anything he didn't want.
"I don't know," Eren breathed. "I don't know what I want..." The omega turned
to look at his alpha with half lidded eyes. "Kiss me?" He requested, barely
audible.
Levi wasted no time in leaning forward to do as requested, fingers sliding up
the boy's thighs, over his hips and along his sides and back down again as he
pressed his mouth to Eren's, parting his lips slightly in invitation to deepen
the lip lock should Eren desire to.
Eren's arms came up and wrapped around Levi's neck, lips moving gently against
the alpha's. He hummed, the motions coming naturally to him, their baby pressed
safely in between them.
The alpha crawled over his mate, careful of his largely swollen belly as Eren's
arms settled around the back of his neck. He moaned into the kiss lowly, unable
to keep the noise from rumbling forth. It was just so... Eren wanted this and
that knowledge made butterflies of elation flutter alongside the simmering
arousal in his own belly.
Eren breathed heavily through his nose, fingers massaging at Levi's nape as he
kissed the man. He felt heat bubbling up inside his belly and his chest and the
baby moved at the excitement its mother was experiencing, feet giving little
fluttering kicks inside Eren's womb.
Levi's stomach rubbed lightly against the omega's as he lapped at Eren's mouth,
palms sliding hotly up and down the boy's sides in deliberately slow motions,
squeezing gently when he reached his hips before trailing back up. His
breathing picked up, almost panting breaths coming harshly, exhaled through his
nose. "Is it... Is this okay?" He breathed against slick lips as he pulled back
from the kiss just enough to voice the question.
Eren nodded quickly, a hoarse noise escaping his throat. His toes curled a bit
and he pulled Levi back down, this time making Levi's lips connect with Eren's
neck, just above his new mark.
The alpha's breath hitched as Eren forced his face to his neck and he lapped at
the mark eagerly, nipping lightly and placing open mouthed kisses all along the
boy's exposed throat, humming his own pleasure at the sweet taste of his mate's
skin as he carefully pressed his hips to Eren's, rolling them forward in slow
motions, palming at the omega's hips and thighs encouragingly.
Eren rolled his hips, humming contentedly as both his and Levi's heated scents
mingled, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as slick began to run between
his bare thighs.
Levi groaned as the scent of slick rose up around them and his hands pushed the
bedding down further so he could better feel Eren's skin, his own cloth-covered
erection rubbing against the boy's exposed arousal in tortuously slow motions.
He wanted to move more, thrust harder, but he forced himself to remain slow,
rocking between Eren's legs in gentle motions, his fingers teasing along the
crease of the omega's groin tentatively, hesitant to actually press the digits
further. "Mmn Eren," he breathed against the slick and reddened skin below the
boy's ear, brushing his nose behind it, breath stirring the soft strands of
hair teasingly.
Eren shivered a bit, a noise escaping his throat as he felt Levi’s fingers near
his member and the omega immediately tensed up, tossing his head back a bit and
letting out a panicked cry which was probably audible to every soldier residing
in a room on their floor. Eren’s fingers tensed and dug into Levi’s shoulders
roughly, body instinctively seizing up and his face paled as though he’d seen a
ghost.
Levi's movements immediately stilled and a croon sounded out, his fingers
sliding away from the omega's hips and framing his panicked face as the alpha
hovered over him, concern swirling in hazy silver eyes.
"Shh... Shh... Baby, it's okay... It's okay... It's me..." His voice was soft
and husky, soothing in it's tone, the low rumbling of his crooning underlying
the comforting words and his scent wrapped protectively around them.
He heard footsteps in the hall outside their room and growled menacingly when
he head the jiggling of the knob as someone, Mikasa, by the scent that filtered
through from the corridor, tried to open the locked door.
His scent flared possessive and overprotective, pushing the other alpha away.
If she managed to get in, Levi wouldn't be able to stop himself from attacking
her. Everyone needed to stay on the other side of that door. Eren was his mate
and he would protect and calm him; they all needed to back off. They'd caused
enough trouble between he and the omega already.
“What’s going on in there?” Mikasa banged on the door despite Levi’s angry and
protective scent. “What are you doing?” She growled, smelling the scent of her
brother’s quickly fading arousal. Eren panicked at the sound of Mikasa’s voice,
the scent of the two alphas’ anger overwhelming him, simply adding to the
memories that were now stuck in his head. Eren cried out again, this one
desperate as he tensed up, tears in his eyes. The cry only prompted Mikasa to
begin trying to kick down the door.
Levi hissed, angry and wanting to go to the door, but unwilling to leave his
panicked mate. He took several deep breaths, forcing the anger from his scent,
replacing it with calming dominance, desperately trying to sooth Eren. He
pressed his forehead to the omega's, "Shh, I'm sorry, baby... I'm sorry... Just
breathe... Come on, baby, it's just you and me... You're safe..." His voice was
hoarse with concern, his frustration at the interference on the other side of
their door well hidden beneath the agonizing worry. He shouldn't have pushed...
It had obviously been too soon...
He cooed and crooned, one hand falling from Eren's cheek to pull the sheets up
around the distraught shifter, tucking it around him as best he could one
handed, carefully maneuvering his lower half from over his mate and using his
other hand to press Eren's face into the crook of his neck, unable to think of
any other way to bring the boy back to reality.
Eren let Levi press his face into his neck, the scent of his mate immediately
calming him down despite the fact that he seemed lost in another world, eyes
still open wide and body stiff as a board as hoarse noises of distress and
almost pain escaped his throat.
“Mikasa!” Armin’s voice was heard outside and he pulled the raven alpha away
from the door, but she began yelling at him and sooner rather than later the
lock on the door snapped, the door swinging open to reveal the distraught
couple on one side and an angry Mikasa and horrified Armin on the other side.
“Get off him!” Mikasa demanded, storming in, slowed only a bit by Armin trying
to pull her back, but she mostly just dragged him with her.
Levi snarled viciously, head whipping towards the approaching girl and it was
as if he didn't even recognize her and Armin.
He was surprisingly gentle in extricating himself from his mate, scent flaring
with aggressive protectiveness and before he could even process anything that
had happened, he had the girl pinned against the wall, pale hand tight around
her throat, growling and demanding her submission. Armin was stilled, hugging
himself as Mikasa struggled against Levi's hold.
A strangled choking sound escaped Mikasa's throat as Levi pinned her against
the wall, her hands immediately wrapping around Levi's wrist to try and pry it
away. By this point, a large swarm of soldiers had gathered outside the doorway
to peer in at what was going on.
"Get-off--" the female alpha choked out.
"Mikasa, Captain, please," Armin whimpered, though neither of them seemed to
hear.
Levi's eyes narrowed dangerously, flickering from the pinned girl to the little
blonde omega and then to the open doorway where the soldiers were grouped. His
instincts clambered, adrenaline washing through his system, fight or flight
response flaring at being cornered.
He stepped away from the wall, shoving Mikasa harshly away, sending her
stumbling into Armin as he placed himself between the curled and distressed
form of his mate and the intruders, hackles raised and stance aggressive as he
attempted to shield Eren from them. He would not allow them to take the omega
from him. Not this time...
He backed up further, closer to the bed, gaze wild and threatening, scent
warring between soothing and aggressive. He needed to calm his mate, but he had
to remove the threats. His heart beat madly in his chest, muscles tensed and
quaking, fists clenching and unclenching in preparation for an attack.
Mikasa and Armin crashed to the ground and Armin let out a little yelp.
"What's going on?" a bewildered Hanji asked as she pushed through the crowd of
soldiers, looking at Armin and Mikasa, then at Levi, who was guarding Eren as
though his life depended on it. The omega was curled and shaking on the bed
behind him, little strained cries escaping him as though someone had a grip on
him and kept squeezing every few seconds.
The sound and sight of Hanji sparked something in Levi and he made a sound that
was something entirely animal between a growl and a whine. He couldn't seem to
speak. He took another step backwards towards Eren, the sounds of distress
coming from his mate luring him instinctively.
Hanji surveyed the scene for a few seconds before she grasped it fully, tilting
her head and baring her neck in submission, understanding the alpha's position
and desperation. She stayed still and spoke in a calm tone, "All of you need to
go... Now," she directed to the group and the two still picking themselves up
off the floor. She turned her attention back to the alpha. "Levi... It's
alright now. No one's going to hurt Eren... We're not going to take him away,"
she cooed. Levi cocked his head, listening, but his eyes were on the crowd
outside and the youths still in their quarters.
Gone... He needed them all gone... Then he could barricade the door and focus
on his mate. It was bad for both the baby and his omega to be in such a state.
Everything in him was screaming for him to keep Eren safe, to sooth and calm
him... His body language was demanding everyone get the fuck away from the both
of them right the fuck now.
Once the crowd was gone, Hanji slowly backed away. "Do you want me to leave, or
does Eren need help?" She spoke calmly and clearly. She wasn't sure exactly
what had happened, though she could tell Eren was in some kind of panic, which
was sending Levi into a panic as well.
The alpha's jaw twitched. He knew he should let the beta assist, but his
instincts were battering at him so intensely, he wasn't sure he'd be able to
let her anywhere near Eren, even with the knowledge that she was trusted.
He didn't respond, turning his gaze to the prone and shaking form on the bed.
He ignored Hanji's continued presence, concern for the omega consuming him and
his desperate scent settled into one meant to soothe the boy as he crawled
carefully next to him, soft croons and odd almost purring chirps echoing from
his throat as he bent to nose at Eren, nuzzling the boy's flushed cheek gently,
entirely lost in his animal instincts. He was distraught, fingers pressing
against the taught flesh of his mate's belly, spread wide as he laid himself
out next to his mate, continuously making the sounds and pressing himself
against Eren in an unthreatening display, desperate to make his mate understand
that his alpha was with him and would keep him safe.
“I’ll be in my room if you need me,” Hanji spoke gently, quietly closing the
door and pressing the book she’d been carrying against the broken door to keep
it closed. She knew she should give them some space.
Eren remained curled around his belly on the bed, sobs only stilling once the
alpha had enveloped him in his calming scent once again, though he still
couldn’t seem to register where he was, much like when Levi had first found
him. He felt like he was trapped in those bad memories, the memories of those
awful soldiers playing over and over again in his head, unintentionally
triggered by Levi’s touches. It didn’t make any sense. Eren had wanted Levi to
touch him.
The alpha kept crooning and humming and rubbing his hand on the boy's belly and
through his hair, silver eyes soft and swimming with concern as his baser
instincts finally calmed now that they'd been left alone.
"Eren..." He whispered hoarsely, "I'm so sorry, baby... Come back to me... They
aren't here... It's not real, baby... I'm here... I won't let them hurt you...
I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." He was whispering, not even consciously aware of the
words slipping between his lips as he laid next to his mate, touch so gentle
that he barely felt the soft hair and skin beneath his hands, staring at the
distraught and unaware face of his mate. His breath hitched as though he'd only
just remembered how to breathe and he shifted to bury his face against Eren's
neck, still whispering near silent apologies and assurances. What had he done?
Eren could half hear the quiet pleads of his mate and he felt him against his
neck, though his mind was still trapped in that awful dungeon. He didn’t think
Levi was even really there. It was just his imagination trying to save him.
Nonetheless, he curled into the comfort, shaking silently in his mate’s embrace
as he murmured things too quickly and too jumbled together for Levi to possibly
understand, his words not making any sense anyway, even if the alpha could
properly hear them
Levi curled his body around his mate and rubbed fingers along his back, unable
to understand the rushed litany of words that passed his mate's lips, shushing
him soothingly and pressing his own firm belly to Eren's, the baby settled in
between the press of their bodies as the alpha felt himself shaking in the
aftermath of panic and adrenaline, limbs feeling both heavy and light all at
once and his emotions were a storm inside him, voiced only in quiet pleads,
apologies, and promises.
There was guilt and fear. He'd been afraid to touch Eren and this was why. He'd
been so hesitant, had tried so hard and it had all been for nothing. He'd hurt
Eren, had scared him as he'd feared he would. He was a terrible alpha... He'd
wanted so badly for the boy to heal, to be able to enjoy his touch and now...
Well, it didn't matter. Levi wasn't ever going to touch him like that again...
Eventually Eren’s eyes had closed and the omega wasn’t quite asleep, but he
wasn’t quite awake, either. It was somehow his body’s natural way of trying to
snap him out of this, but he still mumbled incoherently, completely limp
against Levi. The murmuring had calmed down to a slow and slurred, almost drunk
sounding tone.
Levi hugged him close and hummed lullabies, unable to do anything else. Maybe
the omega would be better once he'd rested a bit. The alpha closed his eyes and
pressed his face against the crown of Eren's head, silently pleading for the
boy to wake more comfortable and aware than he was. His own eyes burned behind
his closed lids and he promised himself he wouldn't ever give in to his lust
again regardless of how Eren seemed, terrified of repeating his mistake. He
fell asleep curled as tightly as possible around the boy, arms wrapped around
his back, palms pressed flat against the the dip of his spine beneath the
sheets.
***** Heart Failure *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
It was around lunch time when Eren was woken up by the sound of soldiers going
up and down the hallways, the thudding of their boots unbearably loud to the
omega despite the fact it wasn’t that loud at all. He could hear his own
heartbeat, too, and every single bird outside probably within a two mile
radius. Everything sounded so loud. He stirred a bit, hands coming up over his
ears. The events of earlier that day didn’t even seem to cross the omega’s
mind, like he hadn’t even realized it had happened in the first place.
Levi was roused when Eren stirred and he felt the omega's hands moving to cover
his ears. Liquid mercury fluttered open and he pulled back enough to look at
the boy. "Eren... Love, are you alright?" He murmured quietly, voice hoarse
from sleep and all the sounds he'd been making earlier leaving his throat
rather raw and scratchy, but there was concern in the tone and he raised a hand
to tentatively touch the back of one of the brunette's hands where it was
pressed against his own ear.
Eren removed a hand from his ear so he could hear Levi. “Everything is loud...”
he stated, almost like a child. “It’s too loud.”
Though the footsteps of soldiers heading to lunch were now gone. But Eren could
still hear them thudding in his head and he didn’t know why. All of his senses
were out of whack completely.
"Okay... Do you... What do you need me to do? Should I get Hanji?" The alpha
asked, voice still hushed as he carefully tucked a lock of hair behind the ear
Eren had uncovered. He was too afraid to ask if his mate remembered what had
happened, not wanting to upset him.
“No,” Eren whispered. “It’s just loud.” There was nothing Hanji could do about
that. Their room was almost completely silent by now. “What are we doing in
bed?” the omega asked quietly.
Levi bit his lip. He should lie to Eren, tell him they'd slept in late, but he
couldn't; he'd promised never to lie to the boy. He swallowed hard against the
lump of apprehension that had formed in his throat. "You... Don't remember
anything about this morning?"
Eren thought back to it, head still rather fuzzy. “They… Were here...” Eren was
suddenly looking around in worried confusion. “They found me; they were here.”
His voice was panicked. He’d thought it was a dream, but by the tone of Levi's
voice, he could tell something had gone wrong this morning.
Levi cupped Eren's cheek gently and caught his wild-eyed look. "No... No,
baby... You... Just got scared and had a flashback... I'm sorry... I didn't
mean to..." He explained quietly, apologizing because he felt entirely
responsible for the incident.
Eren didn’t entirely believe that. It felt so real, but his memories were all
jumbled up. He did remember a bit of what had happened this morning before the
supposed flashback. “We... Were fooling around...” Eren said slowly, looking at
Levi for confirmation. “What…Went wrong?” He didn’t understand.
The alpha's gaze flickered to the side, shame and guilt washing over him, "I...
I got carried away... I scared you..." He murmured softly, unable to meet his
mate's eyes again as he answered, accepting responsibility for what had taken
place.
The teen frowned. “I don’t remember you scaring me... Nothing you could ever do
would scare me,” Eren said in confusion. The last thing that he knew was real
was he and Levi kissing passionately, hands wandering up and down each others’
bodies, and he had actually been enjoying himself.
"It's alright... I'm not... It won't happen again..." He promised quietly,
pleased that Eren still believed Levi hadn't intended to frighten him, even
though the guilt of knowing he had did not leave his gut, curling painfully and
settling deeper there. Never again...
“I don’t understand,” Eren whispered, shaking his head as he stared up at the
alpha with half lidded eyes. “I was… Enjoying myself. I wasn’t...” The omega
ran a hand through his hair, wincing at the sound. He could hear his own hair.
“Am I really that fucked up?” he whispered.
"It's not your fault, baby... It was too soon and I wasn't... I was too
eager... But it's alright now..." Levi assured, brows furrowing in concern over
the wince that had crossed his mate's face. He gently rubbed the back of his
knuckles along Eren's cheek, "Are you sure you don't want Hanji to look you
over?"
“I don’t know,” Eren admitted quietly. “Everything feels wrong.” It did. His
whole body felt different. He saw things differently, smelled them differently,
heard them differently. His brain was confused-- almost as confused as the rest
of him. “Maybe for the baby’s sake...”
Levi nodded and moved to get out of the bed, dressing quickly and returning
with a pair of loose pajama bottoms for his mate, helping the boy into them
before he was at the door. A growl sounded from him almost immediately as he
inspected the broken lock. He pulled the door open and glared down each end of
the corridor, making sure there were no curious soldiers loitering about before
he knocked on the door across from theirs, barking an order at Hanji for her to
get her ass over to his quarters ASAP through the closed door before he was
back inside their room, the door closed, but not tightly without the added
security of the lock. He heaved a deep breath and ran a hand jerkily through
his messy hair, stepping back over to the bed and seating himself on the edge
of it, bent forward and leaning his elbows on his spread thighs, feet remaining
on the floor. He was close enough for his hip to brush against Eren, but didn't
actively seek more contact than that, feeling edgy about seeing the scientist
and worried about his mate.
Hanji was there in less than two minutes, knocking softly before slowly pushing
the door open. “Hello? Is it safe for me to come in?” she questioned, though
Levi’s scent wasn’t angry anymore. “What’s the matter?” She stepped in, closing
the door behind her
Levi's steely eyes shifted to the woman as she let herself in and he wet his
lips before speaking in a hushed tone. "Something's wrong with his senses. He
says everything's loud..." He glanced over his shoulder at his mate, worried
gaze softening as he looked at him a moment before he turned back to Hanji.
“Loud? Usually pregnant omegas have a hard time with smell,” Hanji chuckled
slightly, but quieted down once she saw the look on Levi’s face. “Em…I’ll have
a look at him.” She sat down on the bed next to Eren, asking him about how he
was feeling and what was going on. She made the omega follow her finger with
his eyes, which were a bit slow, and she did a few other things to test his
senses.
“Well, they’re definitely a little out of place,” Hanji agreed. “That’s pretty
normal after such a panic attack, though, it's called having a sensory
overload. Everything just gets a bit...jumbled and...well, sensitive. His
senses should be back to normal in no time,” she assured Levi, looking up at
him and offering a small smile of reassurance.
The alpha jerked his head in acknowledgement, "And the baby?" He asked, voice
wavering ever so slightly. He didn't want to think about how stressed the
infant inside Eren must be with everything that had happened. If anything was
wrong... It would be all his fault. Why hadn't he said no? He should have known
it was still to soon for them to attempt fooling around. He should've fought
down his damn instincts like he'd said he would and fucking left Eren alone...
He should've been a better alpha...
“I’m sure the baby will be just fine,” said Hanji. “A couple Braxton
contractions here and there, but that's nothing serious this far along in
pregnancy. Your mate and your baby are both perfectly well physically,” Hanji
assured the alpha. “You’re taking good care of them, just keep doing what
you’ve been doing. Eren just needs to rest is all, like all other pregnant
mothers do.” She tried to make it sound like Eren was the most normal omega
possible and Levi the most normal alpha.
The raven snorted. "I'm not so sure about that," he muttered under his breath
self-deprecatingly, though he was relieved to hear that their baby and Eren
were both alright. "I think... I'm going to go get us something to eat," he
said after a moment, casting a glace at the two. He needed a minute, though he
didn't really want to leave Eren's side.
“I’ll stay here with him, if you’d like,” offered Hanji.
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Eren mumbled.
Levi nodded and stood up, turning to lean over Eren, ruffling his hair and
planting a kiss on his forehead before whispering to him, "I think... You
should talk to her... I'll be back soon with food. I love you." And then he was
pulling back and striding out the door purposefully, forcing his feet to move
forward even though his instincts tried to drive him to turn back around and
return to his mate's side.
Eren’s eyes widened and he watched Levi go out the door. He wished he could run
after him. “What... What’s going on?” Eren asked quietly. “Is he alright?”
Hanji turned to face the omega and patted his arm reassuringly, "He's just
having a hard time right now. He's worried about a lot of things at the moment
and he probably just needs a minute to collect his thoughts. Why don't you tell
me about what happened this morning?"
“I really don’t know what happened this morning,” Eren admitted, having to
clear his throat so he could continue talking. “We were… He was giving me a
massage, then I asked him to kiss me. I was enjoying it, but the next thing I
remember was being back in that dungeon with Erwin and those soldiers,” Eren
croaked. “And when I woke up, I just didn’t feel right.”
Hanji adjusted the thick frames of her glasses and hummed. "Was there anything
specific that made you panic, like a certain touch or word for example?
Sometimes trauma comes back to haunt us when we least expect it."
“I guess it could’ve been a certain touch…Down there,” Eren confessed. “But I
wanted him. I wanted him so bad, Hanji. This isn’t fair,” Eren whimpered.
"I'm sure you did, sweetie, and I'm sure Levi was doing his best. I know it's
not fair, but the mind doesn't heal and scar like flesh. Have you tried...
Touching yourself? It might be a good way to explore what kind of touches you
are and aren't comfortable with... And you know, if you decide you want to get
intimate with Levi again, maybe you should try being on top. In situations like
yours, your control was taken away from you; you became powerless and
especially for someone like you, Eren, it can be particularly difficult to get
past. But, it's been known to help if the... Mm, victim of the trauma is given
total control over their partner, they can feel safe enough to participate and
improve their confidence and self worth. It takes a lot of trust and respect
for alphas especially to give over control; it goes against their very nature,"
she said, her voice a soothing tone, unlike her usually boisterous and
eccentric tendencies, trying to be as gentle in explaining as possible. She
just wanted to help. Levi was suffering for it; she could see it... It had
gotten better for the few weeks they had been given the privacy and time to
strengthen their bond in other ways, but this incident had been a major setback
and she had no doubt that the alpha was struggling just as much as Eren was
with his self worth.
The alpha hadn't come to speak to her yet, but she knew he would as soon as he
could bring himself to trust someone else around Eren while Levi came to see
her on his own.
“Levi won’t ever want to try sex with me again… I let him down,” Eren said in
defeat, looking away. “I can’t touch myself, Levi is always watching me. Even
when I’m in the bathroom and when I’m alone here, he sends people up to check
on me or he looks through the window. What will he think if he sees me touching
myself?” Eren questioned, shaking his head. “He’ll be ashamed. And I won’t be
any good topping when I’m nearly nine months along. Otherwise, I would’ve asked
him for that to begin with.”
Hanji smiled at the boy. "Levi will most certainly not be ashamed if you touch
yourself in front of him. I think you'll find his reaction the opposite, in
fact. As far as intercourse, during later in pregnancy, omegas often find
riding their partners more comfortable for both parties. There's also the doggy
position, but couples generally prefer to be able to face each other. I'm sure
Levi wouldn't mind letting you have the reins. It'd be entirely up to you how
things progress. Give it some thought anyways, alright? Things are going to get
rough soon, sweetie, and the two of you could be stronger for it."
There was so little time left. The final battle was approaching; Intel said
less than two weeks. They would be leaving then and Eren would be left behind
with Armin for his own safety while Levi would lead them outside the walls to
fight for humanity's future. Eren didn't know yet... Levi had not wanted to
tell him.
“How rough?” Eren whispered in fearful curiosity. Levi wouldn’t tell Eren
anything about their plans…He didn’t want the omega to stress. But of course
Eren had been stressed out anyway just trying to think of how bad things could
get. He was terrified.
“Nothing we can't handle, but it will be hard for Levi to be away from you,
especially if he's worried sick," she didn't want to tell him either, but she
couldn't lie to him.
The omega bit his lip. “What if something goes wrong? What if the baby comes
and Levi isn’t here?” Eren asked desperately in worry.
"If you are not stressed out too badly, you should still be several weeks off.
It will be over before then," she said as if she wasn't talking about the fate
of their species. "You know Levi will be here. He wouldn't miss it for the
world."
“Not stressed out too badly?” Eren laughed, tears in his eyes. “Hanji, look at
me. I could go into labor any second and Levi might not be here when it
happens.” The omega sniffed, covering his face as he suddenly let out a sob. It
wasn’t pained and it wasn’t one of trauma. It was just sort of desperate and
child-like. He just loved his alpha so much, and he didn’t know what he’d do
without him.
"Eren..." Hanji cooed and rubbed his back. "Everything will be alright. I'll
make damn sure our grumpy little alpha's here on time," she said lightly,
trying to console the boy. She felt so terribly for the mated couple. They just
wanted to be together and the world kept tearing them apart.
“I don’t want him to go, what if something happens to him?” Eren wailed, hands
rubbing at his eyes. “Not even you can keep Levi from dying on the battlefield.
What if Erwin tortures him the same way he tortured me? I can’t let him go
through that; I can’t let him go,” Eren said desperately through his tears.
"Sweetie, you have to. You've always had to from the start, it's just harder
with things as they are now because you aren't going with him. It's hard on
him, too. I'm going to do my best to watch out for him and he's partnering with
Mikasa," she soothed. She wasn't sure what else to do or say; she was neither
omega or alpha; she had no special calming scents or croons to comfort the
sobbing boy. She should not have told him... Levi was going to be angry.
It was then that she heard the rush of booted feet right before Levi stalked
into the room looking exactly as she expected. He had a tray of sandwiches and
apple slices in one hand, the other clenched, white knuckled at his side. "What
did you do, shitty glasses?!" He growled, moving immediately to set the tray on
the nightstand and pull Eren into his arms instead, sitting on the edge of the
bed. A low croon erupted from his throat and glared at her over Eren's head.
“I’m always-- crying at the most inconvenient times--“ Eren sniffed, taking
shaky breaths. “I’m sorry, Levi. My hormones were acting up... I promise it
wasn’t anything Hanji did; she’s been a big help,” he assured the alpha with a
sniffle.
Hanji nodded her head a little when the alpha's eyes narrowed in response to
Eren's words. Lying... Eren was lying...
The beta stood up and stepped towards the door without hesitation. "Well, I
hope that the two of you work things out in the next couple weeks. I think you
have a lot to talk about before then. I'm just across the hall if you need
anything else. Enjoy your lunch!" And then she was gone, closing the door
behind her as she had previously.
Levi rubbed his palms up and down Eren's back soothingly as the scientist left,
concern and suspicion in his blue-grey eyes. "Talk to me, brat... What's
wrong?"
“Nothing,” Eren sniffled. “I told you; hormones. It’s no big deal.” He couldn’t
admit his fears to Levi. Levi had enough to worry about; Eren going into
preterm labour and Levi missing the birth wasn’t something the alpha should
have to add onto his plate.
Levi grunted, shifting back to look into Eren's eyes, hands in the boy's hair.
"You aren't a good liar, brat. I don't know why you try."
“Maybe because you, mister, don’t need anything else to worry about,” Eren
pointed out, clearing his throat as he shifted. “I promise, its not a big deal.
What did you bring for lunch?” He tried to change the subject.
"Venison and cheese sandwiches with apple slices. Here," he offered the tray to
Eren, plucking up a piece of thinly sliced apple and popping it in his mouth,
watching Eren while he chewed. "It worries me more not knowing," he said after
he'd swallowed.
Eren took an apple, picking at the skin rather than beginning to eat it. “It
worries me more not knowing, too,” Eren whispered. “About the plans...”
"Damn it, Hanji," the alpha cursed under his breath before he reached a hand
out to touch Eren's wrist lightly, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you... I just... I
didn't want you to cry anymore... I was going to tell you, just not yet." He
spoke softly, regret in his words. He knew he should have told him, but he
just... He knew it would hurt his omega just as it hurt him to leave Eren. He'd
been putting off telling him so that he could pretend for just a little longer
that he wouldn't have to go.
Eren took a shaky breath. “When will you be gone, and for how long?” He
questioned quietly.
“Twelve days... We estimate at least two days travel and then possibly up to a
week for the actual battle. Hopefully no longer. Hanji says we should be back
before you go into labor," the alpha answered quietly as if he was so certain
they would be returning.
“Twelve days?” Eren croaked in disbelief, hands coming up to cover his face.
“I’ll have the baby by then if you’re a day later! Do you know what twelve days
away from you is? It’s the perfect opportunity for them-- For the-- For the
military police to come get me, don’t you understand?” Eren exclaimed, feeling
sick to his stomach. “And you won’t even know I’m gone for twelve days! I’ll be
there for twelve days! They’ll kill me and the baby!” Eren said desperately.
“You can’t-- You can’t go--”
Levi turned to take both of Eren's hands in his own, "I'm sorry, baby, you
misunderstand, I leave in twelve days; I should only be gone a little over a
week, maybe even less. They won't come for you and if... If they do, you... You
shift and do whatever you have to to escape and you come outside the walls. you
come find me. Eren, I can't not go and I can't bring you with us in your
condition. Armin and a few others are going to stay here with you." He looked
distraught, torn and pained at the prospect of being away from his pregnant
mate and it was made worse by the voicing of his worst fears.
Eren let out a little breath of relief at that. In twelve days, the alpha would
be leaving. But then that meant nearly two weeks until Levi left, then just a
week Levi would be gone. “Levi, I’ll be a week away from nine months by then,
I--” Eren shook his head. This was possibly even worse than Levi leaving for
twelve days. “I can’t shift, I can’t-- If they come for me, I won’t know what
to do,” Eren admitted. “You’ve seen me-- You’ve seen how I freeze up."
The alpha ran his hand through his hair, growling his frustration. What was he
supposed to say? "Do you want me to stay? Tell me not to go and I won't..." he
said finally. He'd told Eren he would give him the world, but if Eren wanted
him to leave it to someone else to win it, he would. He didn't want to go, but
he also had to be realistic; if he didn't go, the likelihood of success dropped
a large percentage, a percentage that had already been halved because they no
longer had Eren. If he didn't go, there may be no world left to give Eren and
their baby.
Eren rubbed at his already red and blotchy face in frustration. "Please don't
leave this decision up to me, you know I want you to stay even though I know
it's selfish," Eren said shakily. He was selfish; he was so selfish, but he
couldn't help it.
"Eren... Baby, if it's too much... If you really can't stand it, I'll stay.
You're more important. You and the baby are more important than anything to
me.” Levi's voice cracked. It was breaking him to do this. There was no option
that was adequate. "Please, baby, you just have to tell me. I won't be able to
leave you after what happened today anyways..." He curled his hands into his
hair, tugging a little in frustration, hanging his head over his lap. "I'm
scared... So fucking scared..." He whispered hoarsely. His scent was anguished,
frustrated and coloured by self loathing and stressed anxiety.
The boy put a gentle hand on Levi's shoulder, frowning in sympathy and
confusion as he stared at the man. "Why?" he whispered. "Why are you scared
because of that?" Eren didn't understand. Shouldn't Levi be more afraid of Eren
going into labor or Levi getting injured in battle, rather than Eren's mental
state? What would scare Levi about that? Sure, Eren wasn't at his best right
now, but he would... He would be okay, eventually. It was strange that that was
one of Levi's biggest fears at the moment.
"If I'm not here and you get lost in your head... If I... If I don't come back,
you'll never wake up from your nightmare and our baby won't know us... Or if
the military does come... I can't..." He gritted out through clenched teeth,
jaw twitching as he swallowed thickly against the rising taste of bile in his
throat. He wanted to scream or cry, maybe both, hit something, anything. It
felt like his chest would cave in, it was so fucking heavy. He had been hoping
Eren would be in a better state before he left, had thought the progress they
made was a sign that the omega would be safe even from his memories and if Levi
didn't make it back, Eren could handle it if for nothing else but the baby, but
as he was now... If Levi never returned, his mate would lose himself entirely,
the alpha knew it and was guilty because it was all his fault... "I just... I'm
so afraid of failing you again..." It came out as a strangled half sob as Levi
pressed the heels of his hands hard against his burning eyes. Humanity's
strongest was not strong enough... Not without his hope.
Eren shook slightly, watching Levi in shock as he pulled himself into a sitting
up position by tugging on the sheets. "You never failed me," Eren whispered,
wrapping his arms around his alpha and trying to console him, letting out soft
purrs and hums as he squeezed Levi tight.
"Yes I did... I promised... I swore I'd never let them take you, but I did and
then I took so long... I say never again, but this will take me away from
you..." Levi was hesitant to wrap his arms around his mate, "If I... If I fail
again, there won't be any more chances... If I lose you," he choked out and
before he could stop himself, he'd wrapped his arms tightly, almost painfully
around the boy and buried his distraught face against his neck and chest.
The omega gave a sharp gasp of surprise, but didn't hesitate to cup the back of
Levi's head and hold the man close. "This is... This is your choice, Levi. You
have to make the choice you'll regret the least," Eren said to the man what
Levi had said to him so long ago. "This isn't my choice to make. I want you to
stay, but it's not fair of me to ask that. I'm not in the right mental state to
make this choice."
"You were supposed to be with me..." The alpha whispered brokenly against his
mate's scarred collar. "I don't think... If something happens to you and our
baby while I'm away, I... There won't be a world worth saving... But if I don't
go, there may be no future... No safety for us..."
Eren gripped at Levi tightly, closing his eyes as he rubbed his alpha's back.
"Shh... I know," he whispered, trying to hold himself together for his alpha's
sake. Levi had never shown such vulnerability like he was now. "It's not
fair..." He rubbed his neck against the top of Levi's head. He didn't want Levi
to go, but... He would never forgive himself if their baby had to grow up in
this awful world, captive within the walls like an animal waiting for
slaughter.
"Why did I think I could keep something so precious? All I've managed to do is
put you in danger... The baby, too... I can't... I have to make things right,
but I don't know how... I can't even touch you without scaring you... How can I
possibly leave you here alone?" The alpha wasn't quite crying, but his voice
was hoarse and shattered as though he was. He had been desperately trying to
keep everything together, to remain strong, but how could he hope to save the
world when he hadn't even been able to save his precious mate?
"You not being able to touch me isn't your fault," Eren argued in a whisper.
"It's not; it's mine. What happened today; that was my fault. Don't you dare
let me being crazy keep you from saving humanity."
"But it is my fault... I couldn't save him then and I didn't make it in time to
save you," the older man breathed against the omega's skin, still holding him
as if the boy would disappear if he let him go. "You aren't crazy... You're
just broken inside and I... I don't know how to put you back together... For
every piece I manage to repair, another crumbles in it's place... My heart is
sick and I don't know the cure..." Tears came then, wetting Eren's skin as
Levi's shoulders shook.
Eren held onto his alpha tightly, brows furrowed in worry as his alpha cried.
He’d never seen him cry quite like this, and he hated it. He hated seeing Levi
cry. The man meant so much to him and he was the reason his Levi was crying.
“I-I’ll fix myself,” Eren assured the man desperately. “I’ll fix myself, your
heart won’t have to worry about a thing.”
Levi couldn't even find any words to reply, fists clenching in the waistband of
Eren's pajama bottoms at the smooth dip of his lower back and tried to remember
what it was to breathe. Why had he said any of this to Eren? He'd only upset
his mate further, made the shifter guilty over the things he had no control
over, things that were never his fault in the first place. Levi should've been
there.
“Please. I’ll fix it, don’t worry,” Eren whispered shakily. “I promise, Levi. I
promise you.” He rocked them both a bit, hands clutching desperately at Levi’s
nape and the back of his head. “I’ll make things okay for me and the baby, and
then you can decide whether or not you want to go...”
"No... I don't... I don't want you to rush it... And I don't want you to do it
for me... I'm so sorry..." Apologies weren't enough. Eren needed penance for
the sins committed against him and he would have it in blood because it was all
Levi could do. When the battle was over, there would be another, but it would
be between monsters of another kind, the kind that wore the flesh of men and
survived on sorrow. It was the only way Levi could think of to make Eren feel
safe again. He couldn't let his mate live forever looking over his shoulder,
scared of shadows and the monsters that could be lurking there, waiting to
devour him again.
He swallowed thickly and pulled away from his mate's neck, pale face flushed
and wet with the remnants of his tears. He inhaled a shaky breath and met those
beautiful eyes clouded with concern with his own, which were liquid mercury and
filled with heartache. He slid a hand up to cup Eren's face. "I want you to be
safe. I need to make the future safe for you Eren... I can't keep you safe
caged here with rabid animals and monsters."
Eren nodded shakily, taking Levi’s free hand and lacing their fingers together.
“And I can’t let our baby grow up in a world like this, I just can’t…I can’t
let what happened to us, happen to him. I love him too much,” Eren croaked.
Levi nodded, pressing his damp forehead to Eren's, "I love you both so much..."
he replied quietly, breath fanning over his mate's lips as their eyelashes
brushed. "I'll make it worth the separation. I will come back to you with a new
future for you both; that's a promise I won't let be broken."
Eren gave a shaky nod of relief. "I know-- I know you'll make it worth it," he
agreed hoarsely. "And I'll keep the baby safe. I'll keep him safe and inside me
until you get back."
Levi sniffed lightly. "You'd better, brat. Don't you dare let him come while
I'm not here," the alpha threatened, only half joking. He would not stand for
missing the birth of his first and quite possibly only child. He had to
return... There could be no more failures.
Eren gave a little smile. "I'll keep him safe, I promise," Eren whispered
shakily, pressing himself against the man desperately.
Levi held him close when the boy pressed in against him. "I know you will,
baby," he assured, nosing behind Eren's ear affectionately and inhaling deeply.
"Did talking with the lunatic help at all?" he asked after a few moments in
which he'd smoothed his palms up and down his mate's back, simply taking
comfort in that small contact.
"A little," Eren admitted. "She suggested some... Things I can do to try and
get better. I'll do anything I can to make things right."
The alpha nodded. "She's surprisingly good with things like that. Her advice is
unusually sound for an insane person," he said with a tiny smile curving up one
corner of his lips and he didn't ask what she'd suggested. If Eren wanted him
to know, the omega would tell him on his own. The alpha wasn't going to pry.
The least he could do was give Eren some privacy in his own thoughts.
“Yeah…She is,” said Eren, clearing his throat as his hands came down to his
belly, smoothing over the overly large roundness contentedly. “Can I ask…Are
you…unwilling to have sex with me ever again after this?” Eren asked quietly.
Levi's eyes shifted to the side uncomfortably, "I don't... I don't think it's a
good idea right now... I don't want to hurt you again... You were so scared,
baby... I can't put you through that again," he murmured, guilt washing through
the tone of his voice as he spoke. He didn't want to say that he had made a
promise to himself to never even attempt such a thing again, not when Eren
looked so... Maybe someday in the future if the omega could stand to be touched
without flinching away in fear.
Eren frowned, looking away. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, picking at his
fingernails nervously. “I wasn’t... I wasn’t scared...”
"Baby, I could smell it," replied Levi, calling the shifter's bluff. even if he
hadn't been scared of Levi directly, the alpha had indirectly sparked that
consuming fear induced panic that had sent his mate into a catatonic state he
had no wish to repeat.
The boy seemed to shrink down in shame, arms wrapped around himself. “I’m not
scared of you,” he promised.
"Maybe not, but my touch made you panic. I don't want to make you relive your
nightmares every time I try to," the raven said, rubbing the backs of his
knuckles along one of Eren's soft cheeks. He couldn't possibly bear being the
cause of that desperate, lost look in his mate's eyes again.
Eren shook slightly at the memory. “I wish it wasn’t like this..” He admitted
quietly. “Hanji told me-- To do some things with you, but I don’t think I can
manage it and you don’t even want to...”
Levi licked his lips and swallowed around the lump forming in his throat. "It's
not... It's not that I don't want to, baby... I just don't want things to turn
out the same as before... It hurts too much to see you like that," he murmured
lowly, trying to impress his concerns on Eren, to make him understand the
apprehension he held in regard to attempting any further physical intimacy with
his fragile mate. "What... Can I ask what she suggested?"
“She… Recommended for me to try topping, and she recommended to keep trying
slowly, and… She suggested that I… Touch myself to see what touches trigger
me,” Eren whispered. “Would you...Be okay with any of those options?”
"I... If it would help you, baby, I'd do anything," Levi promised, sincere in
the conviction. He would do whatever Eren wanted if the boy thought it would
help him heal.
Eren sighed shakily, leaning forward to rest his forehead on Levi’s shoulders.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to top, I haven’t been feeling my best lately,”
he sighed. “Maybe we’ll have to wait until the baby is here.”
"Of course, whatever you want, love," Levi agreed, hands falling to rest on the
swell of plump hips, massaging lightly. "You... Are you going to let me watch
if you...?" he cut off, desperately trying to keep the erotic imagery of the
boy touching himself from his thoughts.
Eren ran a hand through his hair, cheeks red. “No... No I don’t… Maybe some
day, but I…” Eren shrugged in embarrassment, shaking a bit. “Some day..."
"Why not, brat?" He hadn't even meant to ask, but his fucking mouth just opened
and spilled the almost indignant inquiry between them.
“B-because I said so--” Eren stammered.
Levi's lips pursed and his eyes narrowed suspiciously, "It's only fair...
You've seen me..."
“By accident,” Eren argued. “You’ll make me nervous, and I don’t know if... I
don’t know if I'll have a panic attack. I don’t want you to see.”
"But if you panic, isn't it better if I'm here to sooth you?" the alpha asked,
giving the hips under his palms a squeeze.
"I don't want you to see me like that..."
"What do you mean?" Levi cocked his head, watching his mate intently. He rubbed
his hands up Eren's sides, thumbing along the curve of his belly lightly.
"I don't like it when you see me so vulnerable. It makes you sad; I can see it.
Look at you, you've been crying..." Eren whispered.
Levi levelled Eren with a soft look. "Baby, we're supposed to see one another
at our best and our worst. I won't lie and say it doesn't hurt me to see you
like that, but I'd rather see than have you face it alone," he assured softly,
wrapping his arms around Eren's back once again and drawing him into another
hug.
Eren rested his cheek on Levi's shoulder, letting out a slight whine. "I can't
do this..." He mumbled. "It's too embarrassing."
"Eren, you have nothing to be embarrassed of, I promise. Baby, you're
beautiful," his voice was honest. Even timid and trembling, the omega was
stunning.
The brunette took a shaky breath. "I can't do this, not right now...I need some
time to think about it," he breathed.
Levi blinked and his brow furrowed, "Of course not right now... I wasn't... It
wasn't my intention to pressure you. Just know that I would definitely enjoy
being present if and when you decide you'd like to give it a try..."
"Stop it, stop asking," Eren snapped, pulling away. "I can't do that in front
of you! Why can't you understand that?" The over-emotional, hormonal omega
asked desperately.
Levi sucked in a sharp breath, shoulders sinking and he hung his head, ashamed.
"I'm sorry... I won't... I won't say anything... I... I didn't mean to upset
you," he apologized. He didn't know how to talk to his mate anymore. Eren had
become so volatile between the trauma and the hormones, the alpha was
constantly on egg shells. It seemed like every other sentence he voiced turned
the boy against him as often as his words soothed him.
Levi sighed and slipped from the bed to give Eren space. "I'm... I'm going to
go bathe... Will you be alright here on your own? Hanji's just across the hall
and I... I won't be long."
Eren didn't reply, looking at Levi with red and tired eyes before slowly lying
back down on the bed and curling up on his side, back facing Levi. "Fine," he
whispered.
The alpha clenched his fist tightly and bit the inside of his cheek harshly
before he forced himself out of the room and down the hall. Everything...
Everything was such a fucking mess.
Eren wrapped the blankets tightly around himself, burying his face in the
pillow before he felt the baby kick. "Leave me alone," Eren begged hoarsely.
"Leave me alone..." He shook his head, but obviously the baby didn't listen,
which only caused the omega to let out an aggravated cry. "What do you want
from me?!"
Levi leaned over the sink and stared at himself in the mirror disgustedly for
several moments. "You're a fucking idiot, Ackerman," he snarled at his
reflection, smashing an angry fist against the wall just next to the mirror,
which caused the mirror to shudder and fall from the hook it hung from,
shattering in the sink below. He turned away from the sight and jerkily removed
his clothing, ignoring the throbbing of freshly split knuckles as he removed
the garments, folding them mechanically and setting them aside to step into the
tub, turning the water to near scalding, not that he felt it. He was numb...
 
***** Tell-Tale Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Chapter Notes
     *apology for crazy Eren in advance...*
     He's preggo, ok...He's gonna be crazy.
He had every intention of returning to Eren the approximate twenty five minutes
after he'd nearly scrubbed his skin raw, dried, and redressed, but when he
stepped out into the hall, his feet took him away from their quarters and out
to the courtyard. He had his gear in moments and spent the next hour flying,
practising intricate maneuvers until his whole body was throbbing as badly as
his knuckles. He sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard with his head in
his hands and his gear at his feet. It was already coming up on dusk, but still
he couldn't return to Eren, not like this...
He smelled him before he saw him. The scent of roses was even more potent,
coated in sugared nectar and so strong that Levi was dizzy with it by the time
the young omega limped up behind him. He huffed a heavy sigh... He'd wanted to
be alone...
When he finally looked at the kid, it was because of the tentative touch of
kneading hands on his shoulders and a snarl caught in his throat when he
finally narrowed eyes on the slim kid. He was in heat; it was so obvious, not
only from the scent which should have been his forewarning if he hadn't been so
fucking distracted. He gritted his teeth and attempted to shift away from the
boy's questing hands. They weren't even close to the ones he wanted.
"You're so tense, Captain... It must be hard having your mate so close, but
unable to vent your stress properly," the tone was breathy and as sickly sweet
as the omega's scent, and the alpha hissed lowly between his teeth in warning.
The kid had some nerve to be touching him so freely and talking about his mate.
The boy continued before Levi had worked his words out of his throat and into
his mouth. "I could help you, Captain. I'm a good omega and I've just started
my heat... I could make you feel so much better and I'd never turn such a good
alpha away."
Levi shrugged the hands off him and stood, stepping away from the omega. He was
growling, teeth bared threateningly. "No! I only have need of one omega and you
are not even a fraction of what he is..." His nose wrinkled as the boy shifted,
attempting an alluring pose and sending out wave after wave of that powerfully
flowery scent that made the alpha's stomach turn.
"You smell so good, Captain... I'll take such good care of you..."
"Disgusting... You'll stay the fuck where you are, brat... I'm not in the mood
to deal with this shit," the raven replied gruffly, aggressive warning in his
scent and in his tone as he bent to retrieve his gear. He couldn't stay a
moment longer; he might physically be sick or actually get violent, should the
little shit not heed his warning. He scoffed when the kid only whined in
response, sinking into the grassy ground in submission beneath the alpha's
demanding, dominant scent.
Levi turned to stalk back into the safe house, sending a scathing glare back
over his shoulder at the panting and trembling boy on the ground, "I suggest
you go the fuck back to your room before you end up with worse injuries than a
sprained ankle, cadet."
He stormed down the hall, pausing only once to toss his gear where it was
generally kept haphazardly, tense and shaking as he finally made his way back
to his quarters. He'd been away far too long. Eren was going to be angry; he
knew that and given how Levi smelled at the moment; his mate would undoubtedly
be doubly upset.
Eren had spent the time by himself simply lying in bed, talking to the baby and
nearly getting angry at it every time it kicked. He just wanted to sleep. He
wanted to be alone and he couldn't because of the baby. He could never be
alone.
When he heard the door open, he only curled deeper in on himself until the
smell hit him. It was the same scent of the omega from before. Eren had been
right. A growl escaped his throat, though he didn't uncurl himself.
Levi stilled just inside the room upon hearing the muffled growl, but he didn't
say a word, simply staring for several long moments at the curled lump that was
his mate beneath the sheets. He silently moved to the clothing cabinet,
stripping the soiled clothes from himself and taking a second to wipe himself
down with a damp hand towel before redressing in a simple, loose pair of pajama
bottoms, too exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally to even bother
finding and putting on fresh underwear.
He sighed heavily when he reached the bed and perched on the edge, closing his
eyes as he bent over his spread knees, his fingers tangling in his own hair. He
should say something, apologize, but that would only serve to further his guilt
and likely incite his mate's jealous insecurities further. He couldn't bear
another argument, so he said nothing at all.
"What's his name?" Eren suddenly growled lowly.
"What?" Levi asked in confusion, not shifting from his slouched position,
though he did turn his head slightly as if to hear Eren better or maybe look at
him if he could build up the courage to.
"The omega. What's his name," Eren repeated, more of a demand than a question.
"Why would I know something like that? He's not a part of my squad," Levi
replied calmly. He could smell it already. Eren's anger and his hurt, bitter
with jealousy as the alpha had expected.
"You should know his name if you're fucking him," Eren replied snappily.
He turned his upper body towards his mate, though he couldn't see much more
than the top of the boy's head peeking out from under the sheets. "Listen,
brat, because I'm not going to say it again. I'm not fucking anyone else. I
can't fuck anyone, but you and since you aren't available at the moment, I
don't fuck anyone but my own damn hand," he gritted, angry at the accusation
despite having expected it. He was so fucking tired of trying to convince Eren
that he only wanted him, that he was the only omega Levi wanted or needed and
that he was good enough, that he just had no more words.
"Then why do you smell like a damn omega in heat?!" Eren asked angrily, rolling
over to face his mate, eyes teary with anger.
"Because the little shit tried to get me to fuck him out in the god damned
courtyard!" Levi growled, hackles raising further, narrowed mercury meeting the
teary, luminescent pools that belonged to his beautiful and absolutely livid
mate.
"And you complied! I know you did! Because I made you mad!" Eren yelled at the
man. "That's not fair to me!"
"What?! What the fuck are you talking about?! I'm fucking angry right now and
I'm not fucking running out the damn door to fuck someone just to spite you.
You're my mate; you're pregnant with my god damn baby; you really think I'd go
looking for something else when everything I want is right here?" His scent
grew heavier, bitter with his own hurt and anger in retaliation to Eren's
attacking words. He stood up and began to pace, unable to do anything else to
stop the vibrating frustration coursing through him.
"I'm just a burden," Eren growled. "I'm a burden and this baby is a burden, you
don't want anything to do with us and I know it!" Eren accused shakily, over
emotional and being completely irrational. "You shouldn't have had sex with me
in the first place if you didn't want to deal with what a burden I am!"
Levi growled, closing his eyes, brows pinched together in a pained expression.
"You aren't a burden, Eren, and neither is our baby. I want the both of you so
fucking badly, it's tearing me the fuck apart inside. I thought I was a good
alpha, that'd I'd be a good father because I have you, because you make me
fucking better, but I fucked it up. I let myself believe we would be left
alone, that we could carry on in our own perfect little bubble and it made me
stupid and lax and you were stolen from me. If I'd been doing my job from the
start, you would have been safe. You are not my burden, Eren... You're my
family. I wasn't angry at you earlier. To tell you the truth, I'm not all that
angry at you right now. But I hate myself... What's worse... I've never
actively sought physical intimacy of any kind from anyone; if it happened, it
happened, but never with omegas and every fucking time, it left me empty, but
with you... I can't fucking stop thinking about it. Every time I look at you,
hear you, smell you, just fucking sit in silence with you, I want you. I want
to be connected to you... All the fucking time."
He was panting, breaths harsh, chest heaving slightly with the rapid inhale and
exhale as his heart raced. "I sound like some kind of animal, like I only want
you for fucking, but it's not... It's so much more than that. Being with you is
the closest I'll ever be to heaven, Eren, not because you're an omega or
because you're carrying my child, but because you are the only thing in my
fucking rotten, shitty life that makes me feel alive." He raked badly trembling
fingers through his raven locks roughly, uncaring of the pull that reopened the
fresh splits on his knuckles, "And I know... I fucking know that I can't have
you like that because of my fucking stupidity. I don't fucking deserve to touch
you."
Eren went silent, looking at Levi with slightly wide eyes as he shook, pulling
the blankets up further around himself. He'd never thought Levi would say
anything like that, not in a million years. He knew Levi felt somewhat at fault
for what happened, for not coming soon enough, but he didn't know the man felt
like this. He should've known.
"You don't... You don't need to hate yourself," Eren managed to say. "Please
don't say that, Levi. This wasn't your fault and I-I should be more supportive
of you. I shouldn't think you're sleeping around with other omegas..."
"Don't... Don't do that! You don't need to console me or apologize or take
blame... I promised you... I fucking promised after what happened in the
dungeon that I'd never let them take you from me and I broke that promise. It
doesn't matter that I didn't choose to break it, just that I did. And now I
have you back, but they've still got a part of you and I... I don't think I'll
ever get it back. I don't deserve to..." Every anxiety and insecurity that had
plagued him for months came crashing to the surface and he could not stop the
vicious onslaught from falling from his lips in a desperately broken litany.
"I-I'm here. All of me is here," Eren said shakily, "You have me back, all of
me. Please stop blaming yourself; it wasn't a promise you could keep."
Levi turned his head to the side, eyes closed. "It should have been..." He
whispered, his body tense and stilled from the intent pacing he had been
distracting himself with and he couldn't bare to look at his mate, knowing he'd
see the forgiveness there. He didn't deserve to be forgiven.
"You can't promise things that are impossible.." Eren whispered. "It's not fair
of me to expect you to protect me from things you can't control."
The alpha scoffed softly, "I wish you would get mad at me, scream at me or hit
me, or something... You just sound so defeated every time this comes up...
You're supposed to expect me to protect you, just like I expect it of myself;
I'm your alpha." He ran his hand through his hair again and drew in a heavy
breath, exhaling slowly through his nose. "And I haven't learned... I just keep
promising you because I want so badly for it to be the truth. When I'm just
deluding the both of us. They will probably look for you once they realize
we're apart. If they find this place... If they take you again, I won't know
until it's too late. If you aren't strong enough; if you can't protect
yourself... If I come home to... To... Fuck!"
"Levi, I won't... I won't... I'll be okay when you come home, I promise... I
promise you, I'll take care of myself and the baby."
Levi chuckled, but it came out hollow, "We're a pair of fools, making promises
neither one of us can keep."
Eren gave a shy smile. "I suppose we are fools. After all, I did get pregnant
at fifteen."
The older man sighed and rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers,
finally looking back at Eren, the tiniest flicker of a smile over his lips. "I
don't think I want to know what that makes me for being the one to impregnate
you."
"Hmm... Eager?" Eren questioned. "I would say a jerk, but you stick around and
I'm thankful for this baby, so... I guess you're just a daddy now," he said,
smiling as tension bled out of him.
"That doesn't sound so bad, so long as it's the kid calling me daddy," the
alpha murmured, raising one dark brow at his mate. "I'm sorry... About today,"
he said after a moment, stomach feeling sort of heavy and light at the same
time. "Did you have dinner?" He asked directly after the apology to change the
subject.
"No. I didn't really eat any of the lunch you brought, either," Eren replied.
"I'm... Sorry, too."
Levi stepped lightly towards the boy on the bed, leaning in to cup his cheek,
"I haven't eaten either... Come raid the kitchen with me?" He offered. Eren
didn't venture too far from their quarters these days and maybe that was part
of the problem. He wasn't meant to be confined.
Eren's smiles broadened, "You'll actually let me get up? I probably need a
shirt..."
"Yes, and yes... And bring a jacket, too. If you behave, we can eat out in the
courtyard under the stars," he said, silver eyes warming as he spoke and
offered both hands to his mate to help him up.
"I think that would be a nice date," Eren said softly, accepting Levi's help
and slowly getting up. He put on one of Levi's shirts, which didn't even cover
his belly all the way, only covering it to his belly button. He grabbed his
night robe as well, wrapping it around himself to keep him warm before he stole
Levi's slippers to top off the look.
The alpha shook his head, hiding his smile as he tugged a shirt over his own
head; Eren made quite the sight. He ran a hand over his hair, futilely trying
to smooth the strands, leaving his feet bare since Eren had stolen his slippers
and he honestly couldn't be bothered to put his boots on.
He offered his right hand to the omega and once Eren's was firmly entwined with
it, he led him from the dim room and down the hall. It was quiet, only the
night patrol out and about while most of the soldiers were bedded down for the
night. It had been such a long fucking day, turbulent and emotional. It was
peaceful to be sneaking around at night with his omega.
They collected a mish mash of different edibles from the kitchen, the alpha
feeling particularly indulgent and having no argument in the array of things
Eren decided he was in the mood for.
It was cool, but not quite chilly, late summer with the hint of fall on the air
and the sky was clear, thousands of tiny flickering stars spread overhead
against the blue black, velvet sky and Levi was glad to have acted on the
impulse to bring his mate out into the quiet night.
Eren chose mostly sweet or salty things, like some bread and butter and some
sweet pecan tart someone had managed to scrounge up the ingredients for,
possibly Armin, if anyone. That kid could make anything out of almost thin air.
"It's nice out here," Eren spoke, sitting down on the stone bench Levi had led
them to. "I haven't been outside in a while."
"I know... I... I don't feel comfortable letting you come out here during the
day when there are so many cadets training, and there are too many other alphas
for me to leave you unattended," Levi said, a little guilt colouring his
tone. "I'm glad I brought you out here tonight. It's beautiful," but he wasn't
looking at the sky when he said it, moonlit silver looking back and up at Eren
from where the alpha was sprawled lazily on the grass before the bench, legs
loosely crossed as he leaned his shoulders back against the stone Eren sat
upon. He was popping random different bits from the shared plate of food into
his mouth and humming lightly while he chewed, finally feeling relaxed, more
relaxed than he had in what felt like forever. He needed this, needed the
closeness and familiar comfort that was the two of them and no one else, a
world of their own, undisturbed and free of the trappings of reality.
"I'd like to go outside more, if that's alright," Eren said, looking up at the
moon. "Maybe part of the reason I feel so anxious is because I don't know what
it's like out here anymore. I'm used to being always protected in our room."
"Okay, but only if you're with me, Hanji, Mikasa, or Armin, alright? And if...
If you need to be alone, you need to tell me... I'll stay away for a little bit
if you... Need some privacy. I didn't realize how overbearing I've been... I'll
try harder... Mm, do you think you can trust me to train the other omegas
without tearing me a new asshole every time they leave their shitty scents on
me?" He agreed, stating his terms as gently as possible. He just wouldn't be
comfortable with Eren wandering around outside alone in his condition.
"I'll make sure to have someone with me at all times, and I'm fine with the
omegas... Except that one who keeps touching you. If I ever smell him near me,
I won't hesitate to tear him a new asshole," Eren replied seriously.
Levi chuckled, the sound warm and husky like warm silk. "Mm, settle down, brat.
You keep talking like that, you'll give me a hard on," he teased, tilting his
head back onto the stone and looking up at Eren from beneath the dark lashes of
his half-lidded eyes, a lazy smile tugging at his lips. The hand closest to his
mate crept to the omega's ankle and affectionately stroked soft fingertips over
the dips of the bone and sinew that made up the slim joint.
"The only thing that'll be hard is prying me off that slut," Eren grumbled.
"I'd mess him up, no matter how pregnant I am. I bet the baby would help me and
start kicking him as hard as it kicks me."
The raven actually had to cover his mouth with his other hand as real, full-
bodied laughter suddenly bubbled out. Eren would do it, too. Levi knew the
spirited brunette and he knew his temper. If Eren came across the other omega
while pregnant, it would not stop him, only slow him down. And he knew he'd be
digging a damn grave should Eren come across the other soldier when he was in
top form again. God help him if his children had Eren's temper. And apparent
jealous streak.
"That omega should know you're mine and I'm pregnant with your baby for god's
sake. They should know that makes me even more protective. Plus, I've got
Armin, I can swing him around as a weapon..." Eren snorted, "He's so light. I'd
give anything to be that skinny again."
Levi bent forward, arm wrapping around his waist, head hung, hair obscuring his
face as his shoulders shook. It had been a long time since he'd laughed like
this. It actually kind of hurt. But he couldn't stop. Eren's rant was so funny
and so completely mundane. The end of the world was coming and the boy was
talking about destroying another omega for having the fucking audacity to come
onto his alpha. It was incredibly endearing.
Eren smiled at the sight of Levi laughing, beginning to laugh himself. It was
nice to see the alpha actually smile and laugh, especially when it was caused
by him. Eren felt like he never made the man truly happy anymore, but it was
times like these that picked them both up. Eren held his stomach as he laughed,
wiping at his eyes.
When Levi could manage to control himself, he leaned his head on Eren's thigh
and looked up at him, his face a little flushed and his lips damp and parted as
he breathed. "I'm so in love with you, brat... What have you done to me?" His
mercury eyes looked darker and yet somehow brighter as he spoke the words
breathlessly, staring up at his mate. How had this happened? He'd always held a
sort of fondness for Eren, but this was so much more... He adored this boy.
"I tricked you," Eren breathed. "Obviously." He leaned down, pressing his
forehead to Levi's.
"Why?" the alpha asked, legitimately wanting to know why this beautiful boy
would ever want to spend his life with a grouchy, obsessive-compulsive, foul-
mouthed old man like him. It would never make sense to him, but he would never
take it for granted.
"Because," said Eren, "You...You're perfect; how do you not see that? You're in
perfect shape and you take care of me, and you've given me a baby I already
know is beautiful."
"Tch, I am hardly perfect, brat, but thank you all the same," the alpha replied
quietly, warmth spreading through his chest. "You're the one that's perfect,
Eren, at least for me. You'd have to be to put up with me."
"You're the one who has to deal with your giant mate running around, eating
weird things and crying at all hours," Eren reminded.
"That's all my fault, though. I have no problem taking responsibility for that.
But you know, being young like you are has perks... You'll be back in shape
probably a few months after the brat's born, especially with your shifting
abilities," Levi said, closing his eyes as he rubbed his cheek against Eren's
thigh. "I wish I could spend every night like this with you.
"A few months.." Eren snorted. "Great... I'll only look pregnant for like, an
entire year." Eren gave a slight smile as he looked down at Levi. "But I wish
we could do this every night too," Eren whispered, "We should do more...
Romantic things together, like this. We won't have any time alone once the baby
is here."
Levi chuckled lightly, returning his fingers to his mate's ankle, letting them
smooth up his calf ticklishly beneath his pant leg and back down before
repeating the slow, methodical motions over again.
"Mmn, I'm going to try to be home with you more for the next couple weeks. I
doubt there's a whole lot more I can teach the other brats anyway. I'd rather
spend the time with you and the baby. What kind of romantic things did you have
in mind?" He replied, cheek still cushioned against Eren's thigh as he looked
up at him.
"I'm not sure. More stuff like this, I suppose. Things we don't usually do,
going outside more and such," suggested Eren. He assumed Levi wouldn't allow
for him to leave their new base. "It's relaxing. It distracts me, I suppose."
"There's a lake through the trees over there," Levi gestured with his
unoccupied hand towards the copse of trees adjacent to where they were sitting.
"If it's nice tomorrow, we could have a picnic. Bring the book for me to read,
hm?"
"That sounds amazing," Eren admitted. "It'll be like... Our first real date,
one that isn't in our room," he laughed.
"Mm if you say so, brat," the alpha murmured, cheeks a little pink, but that
had to be from his previous laughter. He looked up at the stars overhead, head
resting further back on his mate's leg. "You know, even though we left the
underground for the sun, I've always liked the stars better..."
"I like them too," Eren whispered. "I think they're relaxing." He ran a hand
through Levi's hair, his free hand moving to cup his stomach.
"It's always quiet at night. Even Titans sleep when the stars are out. I always
think of my mother. He used to call me his little star... Damn... I must be
getting sentimental in my old age," the alpha murmured softly, humming and
closing his eyes at the feel of fingers in his hair.
“I’m sure,” Eren whispered. “I get like that too about my mother, especially
when soldiers talk about how much they miss their families… But I guess… It
makes me feel better knowing that I’ll be a mother. I can use everything my
mother taught me, and I think she’d be proud of me.”
"She'd definitely be proud of you. You're going to be a wonderful mother,
Eren," Levi assured, a little, serene smile curling on his lips.
“And you’ll be a wonderful father,” Eren assured the man. “I know you will.
You’ll spoil them rotten, I know it,” he accused playfully.
There was a rumbling him from the alpha, "You only say that because I like to
spoil you, brat."
“Exactly. You’ll spoil our baby just the same. You already do by reading all
those fairy tales and pressing kisses all over my belly. I can’t even imagine
how spoiled it'll be when it comes out,” Eren groaned, laughing in between.
"Mm, I can't help it," the alpha defended quietly before he was rolling onto
his knees to face the boy, hands settling just above Eren's knees as he met his
eyes "I'll be happy to spoil the both of you for the rest of my life. You
deserve it."
“The baby might, but I surely don’t,” Eren replied, placing his hands on top of
Levi’s and running his fingers along the man’s knuckles.
He winced slightly when the omega's fingers brushed over the still tender
splits on the knuckles of his right hand, but didn't make a sound or pull away,
still watching Eren, "I think you deserve it more than anyone, love. You
definitely deserve to be a little selfish once in a while. Being with me and
having this baby is probably the only real thing you've done for yourself."
“I hadn’t even been planning on it...” Eren mumbled. “I wasn’t planning on it,
but at the same time, it feels like what I’ve wanted all my life,” he said,
shaking his head. “I haven’t a clue why. I never wanted children or a mate when
I was younger. God, I was always so selfish. I was a little brat to my mother
and I broke her heart by telling her I wanted to join the scouts. Then I ran
off, and... Next thing I knew, she was dead.” Eren let out a bitter laugh.
“I’ve been selfish all my life,” he admitted to the man hoarsely, eyes shining
with unshed tears in the moonlight. He’d never admitted that to anyone. Of
course Mikasa and Armin knew, but that had been years ago. They hadn’t talked
about it since it happened.
Levi's fingers gave Eren's a squeeze, catching them and holding them with his
own, "Children are supposed to be selfish. They shouldn't have to understand
sacrifice until they're older. You grow up when you lose something precious.
You are always playing the martyr without complaint. I doubt your mother would
bare a grudge against her child for acting as children are meant to, Eren.
Though I'm not so certain she'd be as forgiving to me."
“Why would my mother not want to forgive you? You’ve saved my life more times
than I can count, and you would’ve made her a grandmother. Of course she would
forgive you, no matter what you did. She would love you; she was so loving,”
Eren said, reminiscing in the memories of his mother. “You’re not selfish like
me. And even when I got older, I still joined the scouts despite the fact it
was her dying wish for me to be kept safe."
The alpha tilted his head a little, "I doubt she wanted to be a grandmother so
young, Eren, and of course, I'd always support your desire to be in the scouts.
I am not as selfless as you'd like to believe, I think, but everyone deserves
to be selfish now and again. You shouldn't blame yourself or think she would be
disappointed in you. I wouldn't want our baby to join us in the field, would
you?"
“She wouldn’t mind being a grandmother so young if it made me happy. Which, it
has. It’s made me happier than anything in the world,” Eren assured, looking
over when Levi mentioned their baby going out in the field. ”No,” he spoke
firmly. “God, no. I could never live with that...”
“Then you understand why she didn't want you to join," the alpha said,
caressing a thumb over the back of Eren's hand, "She would be proud of you, of
how strong you've become, but she would never like you putting yourself in
danger. We always want to protect the things most precious to us, even if it
means they get angry at us."
“Then she’s the complete opposite of my father,” Eren scoffed. “I don’t even
know why she married him.” He shook his head. “If she would’ve saw what he did
to me after Shiganshina fell, she would’ve never forgiven him,” said Eren,
shaking his head. “How could two people be so different in a marriage?”
"Your father... He may have been a good husband... But he was not a good father
to you. He probably thought the ends would justify the means. And your mother
must have loved him enough to remain by his side and to be blinded to his
shortcomings. Love does strange things to people," the alpha replied, still
hushed in the night that had settled around them as he looked into Eren's eyes.
Eren nodded slowly, despite the fact he still didn’t understand. “Are we really
different from each other like that?” Eren asked quietly. “Or are we the same?”
He and Levi were very different, yet also similar in a lot of ways.
"There isn't a clear definition. The things that make you different from me are
the things I love most about you. You would not be the same without them. Hanji
would say it's biological, that opposites attract; mates choose one another
because they are searching for inherent qualities that they themselves do not
possess in the hopes that their offspring will receive the best of traits from
both of them. Maybe that's the science of it, but love cannot fully be
explained by science. I don't love you simply because I think you will breed
the most ideal children. When I decided that I wanted you as my mate, I didn't
even think you could have children. I wanted you because I felt you here," he
said, pulling one of the boy's hands to his chest, the steady rhythm of his
heartbeat quickening just a little under the touch of his mate's fingers.
Eren's fingers curled slightly on Levi's chest as though he was trying to grip
at his heart. The boy leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Levi and burying
his face in the man's neck. "Don't you go making me cry again," the omega
sniffled with a slight laugh as he breathed against Levi's neck.
Levi let out a breathy chuckle, curling his own fingers into the back of Eren's
hair as the boy buried his face against his throat, "You asked for romance,
brat. I'm romancing you," he murmured breathily, pressing a kiss to the crown
of the omega's head, "Is it working?"
"Not that romantic, your pregnant oaf of an omega can't handle it," Eren
laughed lightly. "But it is technically working," he admitted.
The alpha chuckled again, "My beautiful pregnant oaf an omega deserves the kind
of romance that brings tears. Just don't go spreading it around; I have a
reputation to uphold, you know," he joked lightly, massaging the back of the
omega's head with his fingertips. "Mm, we should go in soon; it's getting
chilly," he continued after a second's pause. He could feel the dew settling
onto his skin and it must be late into the night now.
"Yeah, I'm getting kind of cold," Eren agreed, pressing a small kiss to Levi's
neck before he pulled away. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone how sweet you
are," he promised teasingly.
Levi shivered in response to the press of soft lips to his neck and had to
clear his throat before he attempted to speak. "Good... They probably wouldn't
believe you even if you did; I'm only sweet to you," the raven said, smiling at
Eren when their eyes met once more, pleased to hear his laughter again.
He stood after a second, brushing himself off before he offered his mate his
hands again to help him up, "Let's go in so I can tuck you into bed; I'm in the
mood to cuddle," he confessed, smile still on his mouth and eyes reflecting the
stars above.
“I’m in the mood to get off my feet,” Eren laughed. This was the farthest he’d
walked in a long time, despite the fact it wasn’t far from their room. Though,
swollen feet did make it seem a lot further. “And I suppose cuddling too.” He
allowed Levi to help him up before he wrapped his arm around Levi’s waist,
Levi’s arm falling around his shoulder despite Eren being taller.
The alpha hummed. "Well don't make it sound like such a chore, brat," he said
in mock offence, tugging lightly on a lock of Eren's hair as they began to make
their way back to their quarters, only pausing a second to replace the dishes
they'd used back in the kitchen to be cleaned in the morning. Levi closed the
door behind them and wedged a chair beneath the knob to keep it from being
easily opened before he was helping Eren out of his excess clothing and leading
the omega to their rumpled bed. He lifted the covers to allow the omega to slip
in before he tucked them along his side. He stepped around to the other side,
removing his shirt and sliding in next to his mate, pulling Eren back against
his warm chest and wrapping strong arms around his waist, palms rubbing along
the smooth underside of his belly.
“I’m sorry about what Mikasa did earlier,” Eren suddenly spoke, looking at the
door with the broken lock. He hadn’t even been aware for most of it, yet he
knew it was his sister. Of course it was. “She was probably just worried.”
"Don't apologize for her, Eren. Worried or not, she should have known better. I
could have killed her," Levi's lips moved against the back of his mate's neck
as he spoke, fingers drawing idle patterns over the pregnant mound beneath his
hand. Mikasa had been lucky Levi had been more concerned with soothing Eren
during the altercation and had released her rather than choking the life out of
her. He hoped Hanji had scolded the girl for her stupidity afterwards; perhaps
she would think twice before challenging him again.
“I’m glad you didn’t,” Eren whispered, “But I know you could’ve. Was I making a
loud fuss?”
"Mmn, you were making a lot of panicked sounds and your scent was... Strong,"
he replied honestly, pressing his nose into the shorter, silky strands of hair
at Eren's nape, inhaling his scent and allowing it to wash over him soothingly
as he closed his eyes.
“All the soldiers must’ve heard; guess they know I’m crazy now,” Eren huffed in
disappointment. “I’m sorry.”
"Baby, most of them were panicking as much as you in response to your distress.
They were hardly concerned with what had you panicking in the first place. If
anything, they probably think I'm some kind of predator now. Don't be too
surprised if they all clamber to ask after your well being when we go outside
tomorrow." He nuzzled against the back of the omega's neck and pressed gentle
kisses along his nape, trying to relieve the renewed tension.
Eren gave a slight hum, hands moving to rest on his belly next to Levi’s. “I’ll
make sure to tell them you’re a big mean predator, not the sickeningly sweet
alpha you really are.”
"Tch, you'd better not. I don't have the patience to deal with a bunch of
righteous brats trying to protect your honour or some shit. Your sister is more
than enough," he mumbled against the soft skin, only half joking. He wouldn't
doubt that the alphas in their group would be weary of him the following day,
considering the display he'd put on earlier; he didn't need them challenging
him as Mikasa had.
“Mh, I know,” said Eren. “At least it would keep you busy, wouldn’t it?” He
joked, closing his eyes as he pressed himself back into Levi, a yawn escaping
his lips
"Maybe so, but I'd rather spend as much time with you and the baby as I can for
the next week and a half," the alpha murmured, voice losing volume as he
pressed the length of his body against Eren's, tangling his legs with the boy's
under the sheets, exhausted and entirely willing to doze off together with his
omega back in his arms where he belonged.
“Mh..” Eren hummed. “I’d like that. I’d like it, you know.”
Within a few minutes, the omega was asleep against Levi, the little fluttering
beneath their hands calming down significantly.
"Mm, I know... I love you," Levi breathed, an unconscious content smile curving
pale lips as he pressed his face into Eren's hair and hugged him close,
flattening his palm over the settling stir of their baby as Eren's breathing
evened out and his soon followed.
 
***** King of Hearts *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Levi did spend as much time as he could with his mate in the following days
before he would have to leave, spending less and less time with the recruits to
train, only doing so when Eren asked him for space and when the boy was with
his friends, getting sunshine and socializing. He didn't ask about what Eren
did when he was left alone in their quarters; he didn't have any desire to
upset the boy again and so gave the omega what privacy he requested without
argument.
 
But now, it was the night before they would leave for the wall and Levi was
tense. He'd spent a few hours going over the details of the mission once more
with the others while Eren napped in their room and when he'd finished, he'd
made it a point to shower affection on his mate for the rest of the day. It was
after dinner and they were in their bed; he was reiterating one of the stories
Eren had been begging him to create for the baby as he stroked his fingers
along the omega's side.
Eren couldn't concentrate on the story he'd begged Levi for. He just kept
thinking how he'd be alone all day tomorrow. And the next day, and the next day
after that. His face was blank as he zoned out, Levi's words simply muffled in
his mind as the man stroked his side.
Levi paused, words silenced as he looked at his clearly distracted mate, having
a fair idea of just where the boy's mind had wandered. He worried his bottom
lip between his teeth a moment in indecision before he shifted to open the
little drawer to the nightstand, pulling out a little velvet pouch, the
contents of which he'd sent Hanji to retrieve a few days earlier.
Inside the little bag was an intricately designed silver ring. The band woven
and sculpted to look like feathered wings that flared thicker at the top,
cradling a smooth, rounded heart which had a tiny jade star inlaid in the left
arch of it. When he'd attempted to describe what he'd like to gift to the boy,
he hadn't been expecting the scientist to return with something so exquisite,
so perfect. He'd nearly hugged her.
"Baby..." He called quietly, trying to gain the omega's attention, "Eren..."
Eren jerked before snapping out of his thoughts, eyes shifting over to his
alpha. "Huh?" He questioned tiredly, looking at the little velvet pouch in
Levi's hand. "What's that?"
Levi hesitated, casting his gaze down to the little pouch in his hand. "It's...
For you... I thought, well... Here, I'll let you see it first before I ask," he
murmured lowly, offering the velvet bag to his mate nervously.
Eren sat up a bit, taking the bag gently from his alpha and carefully opening
it up, eyes shifting from the bag to Levi over and over as he finally turned
the little pouch over, something small dropping into Eren's waiting hand below
and he almost immediately knew what it was. He looked down slowly, eyes falling
on the ring. "Levi?" Eren whispered, shakily examining it with wide eyes. He'd
never... He'd never seen anything like it before, let alone owned it. It was
the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and he didn't know what to say.
"I thought it could serve as a promise... For when I return... I don't know if
you even think about things like this yet... We're already bonded so it doesn't
really matter, but if you'd like to..." Levi was rambling and cut himself off
abruptly, taking a sharp breath, "Would you marry me?"
Eren felt the smooth metal of the ring between his fingers, shakily looking
back up at Levi again, completely awestruck. "You want me to-- You want--" Eren
questioned breathily, unable to fully express his sentence, too excited,
nervous, and confused at the same time to properly formulate words.
"Of course I want to, brat... I've been telling you I want you for the rest of
my life since I first put that mark on you... It's up to you if you want to
make it official and take on my name, or whatever..." The alpha said, rubbing a
hand over the back of his neck as he tried to deny the heat that pooled in his
cheeks.
Eren felt not only his cheeks, but his whole face grow red. He couldn't get any
words out, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. After a few
seconds of trying, he simply gave up and gave an overly eager nod instead,
unable to stop the way his head bobbed up and down frantically.
When he felt the bed shifting, Levi finally managed to look at his mate, his
nerves calming as the boy nodded intently. Levi pressed him back immediately,
cupping his face and kissing him on the mouth eagerly, feeling shaky as the
tension bled out of him. He pulled back several seconds later, short of breath
and panting softly against Eren's lips, forehead resting against the other
male's. "I love you... Thank you for wanting to be mine forever..."
Eren gave another shy nod, followed by a broken laugh as he pressed his lips
against Levi's once more, craving his touch desperately. Eren wrapped his arms
around Levi's neck, ring still squeezed tightly in his hand.
Levi practically crawled on top of the omega when Eren pulled him in, though he
remained conscious of the press of his body on top of the shifter, both to
avoid placing uncomfortable pressure on Eren's largely rounded abdomen, and to
be sure he didn't ignite the boy's panic by forcing him under himself. His
hands were in Eren's hair, thumbs at his temples, elbows bent and supporting
his weight against the mattress and pillows beneath the boy as he kissed him
back, open mouthed, languid and unassuming. He'd be happy to live the rest of
his life on a diet of Eren's kisses if he could.
Eren broke the kiss, taking panting breaths. "We're getting married," he
breathed in disbelief.
"Yes... Not until I'm back and the baby's born, but yes, we'll be married,"
Levi assured breathlessly, smile curling over his slick and reddened lips and
he stared adoringly into his mate's eyes, "I guess you can say we're engaged
now."
Eren smiled, pulling his hand back to place the ring in Levi's palm. He held
out his hand to allow for Levi to slip the ring on him like a traditional
engagement, the omega covering his face with his free as he half giggled and
half cried.
Levi leaned back with the ring in the fingers of his left hand and took Eren's
into his right, carefully sliding the ring into place. It was a little snug,
but would likely be a perfect fit once the omega was back to his usual weight.
Levi smiled, eyes sparkling bright as he raised the boy's hand to place a kiss
on the smooth back.
"You're so fucking beautiful. How did I get so fucking lucky?" He said without
any thought, staring at the emotion playing across Eren's flushed face.
"You're kidding yourself," Eren argued softly, smiling, "I'm the lucky one."
Levi let out a breathy laugh. "I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree,
brat," he said, lingering elation in his tone as he brushed soft hair back
behind one of the boy's ears.
Eren blushed. "I suppose so," he agreed, smiling. "This'll give me something
really important to look forward to while you're gone. Maybe I could even ask
Armin to help me start preparations." It would help distract the omega from
becoming depressed and distraught without his alpha.
The alpha hummed, rubbing his neck along Eren's in an entirely unconscious
motion to renew the scent marking on the both of them, though it had hardly
faded. "That's a good idea. You'll be so busy, I'll be back before you know
it," he murmured behind Eren's ear. He wholeheartedly supported the idea. It
would be good for his mate to have some happy event to plan for their future
and keep the inevitable anxiety and heart sickness at bay. It would be good for
Levi, too. Only adding more reason for him to fight harder and make it back.
"I still don't want you to go," Eren confessed quietly, hands moving to cup
Levi's face gently as he looked at the man.
Levi's gaze softened and he held a hand over Eren's against his face, "I know,
baby. I still wish I didn't have to."
"What if I can't hold the baby in until you get back?" Eren whispered
worriedly.
Levi gave the boy a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine, baby," he assured,
"Besides, I already gave the brat a warning when you fell asleep last night."
"Oh? Already giving our baby orders?" Eren questioned in a half hearted,
teasing tone. "I hope he listens."
"He had better, or I'm going to ground the little shit 'til he's at least
five," Levi growled, only half joking. He needed to be with Eren when he had
their baby.
"Levi--" Eren laughed, hitting the man's shoulder, "I would never allow you to
do such a thing, you know that."
"Tch, as long as he stays put until I'm home, I won't have to do anything," he
replied, silver eyes narrowed, but warm as he watched Eren from under his
lashes a moment, completely unfazed by the impact to his shoulder.
"I'm sure he will," the omega replied, humour in the tone. "You told him to
stay in there, so he'll stay in there, I bet."
"Mm, he'll stay in there because he won't want to make his momma cry," the
alpha murmured low in his throat, laying along Eren's side and pulling his mate
down with him, guiding the omega's head to rest on his shoulder and chest.
"I'll cry whether you're here or not. Hanji said it'll hurt like hell," Eren
said worriedly as he settled against Levi's chest.
"Yes, but at least if I'm home, you can curse me and break my hand while you do
it. I'm sure that will make you feel better," the raven said nonchalantly, idly
trailing fingertips over the omega's shoulder.
Eren hummed. "I'm sure it will. Armin wouldn't like having his hand broken..."
Levi snorted, "You say that as if I will enjoy it. It'll be worth it and I
suppose, it could be considered due punishment."
The omega smiled tiredly, but he didn't want to fall asleep. The sooner he fell
asleep, the sooner tomorrow came. The sooner tomorrow came, the sooner Levi
left. The omega felt his arms tighten around Levi unconsciously.
The raven let out a little breath of air as Eren squeezed him and smiled a
little sadly as he hugged him back. He was going to miss him terribly and worry
about him and the baby. It hurt just to think about being away from his little
family for even a day, let alone a whole week. But he knew, once he was
immersed in the battle, he would have to set all the welling emotion aside so
that he could concentrate on winning and returning to them safely. He had to do
it for them, for the future they'd dreamed of together.
"You gotta promise me something," Eren suddenly whispered. "You won't be a
hero, alright? Just keep yourself safe, please," he begged. "Come back to me."
"Eren..." Levi said softly, lifting one hand to caress the boy's hair gently
before be tipped his chin up with a fingertip so he could look into the worried
forest depths. "I'm definitely coming back, baby. Give me one week. Even if
it's not over by then, I'll leave." It likely wasn't the promise Eren had
wanted, but he didn't want to lie. He couldn't always control his instincts to
help fellow soldiers during battle; it wasn't a conscious decision he made each
time he saved a comrade's life. His body just moved.
Eren gave a slight nod. "One week..."
"One week. My arms are going to be lonely without you in them," the alpha
sighed, tilting his head down just enough to slant his lips over the omega's in
a kiss laden with emotion. He was going to miss those lips.
The boy's hand rose to rub against Levi's cheek as the man kissed him, his free
arm still wrapped around Levi's chest.
Levi made a soft whining moan and pressed harder into the kiss, his grip on his
mate tightening fractionally. He didn't know how the hell he was going to let
him go in the morning.
Eren was the one who finally pulled away, despite the fact he never wanted to
let go. He let himself bury his face back in Levi's chest, trying to press
himself as close to the man as possible.
Levi closed his eyes and just held Eren as he burrowed into him. He began to
croon, low and husky and he soothed his hands over the boy's bared shoulders
and back, down his side and along the curve of his belly. He didn't have any
consoling words that would be adequate. Morning would come whether they slept
or not and when it did, he would still have to go and he would have to leave
his heart behind.
Despite Eren's resistance, Levi's relaxing croons and touches still managed to
lull him to sleep. Damn him and his perfect voice and hands. The omega slept
clinging to his alpha, soft whines of Levi's name escaping him as he slept.
The alpha stayed awake for far longer than he should have, though his eyes were
closed. He kept up the calming sounds echoing from his chest and bathed his
mate in his protective scent, all the while drawing abstract designs over the
restless boy's skin, shushing and soothing him when he whimpered and whined.
Eventually, the alpha's own exhaustion took him and he was grateful he had no
dreams that night, good or bad. His body slept intently, preparing for what was
to come when the dawn broke over them.
Morning came too soon and he was roused by the sounds of movement in the halls.
It was still dim outside the window and the alpha very carefully crept out of
the bed to use the bathroom and then collect them both breakfast before he
returned to their quarters. He had perhaps two hours, three at the most before
the group would be departing.
Eren stirred when he heard the door open. He felt the place beside him, which
was empty. He immediately gasped, eyes snapping open in panic as he tried to
sit up. "Levi!" He yelled desperately before he spotted the man by the door,
causing the omega to let out a breath of relief.
"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you... I brought breakfast," the alpha lifted the
tray in his hand as proof of his statement, calming threads of his scent
wafting around the room in an attempt to put his mate at ease. He didn't want
to see Eren's tears yet. He wasn't ready and instead wanted to pretend it was a
morning like any other. He padded over to the bed and slipped back in beside
his mate, back leaning against the headboard and balancing their breakfast
artfully in one hand as he maneuvered to pull Eren back in against his chest.
"Hoh--" Eren breathed in relief. "I-I thought you'd left already; I thought
you'd left without saying goodbye," he admitted.
The raven inclined his head, setting the tray over his lap and leaning to drop
a kiss on Eren's temple. "Of course not. I wouldn't be able to leave without
you seeing me off, love. We have a little time before I have to get ready. I
thought we could have breakfast together. Armin made it especially for today,"
he said, hugging Eren with one arm comfortingly.
Eren sighed, smiling. "Yeah, I'd like that... I don't know how I'll eat without
you after this," he sighed, looking down at the wonderful breakfast Armin had
prepared. It had toast, fruit, eggs, and some kind of muffin.
Levi ruffled the omega's chestnut locks and placed another affectionate peck to
his brow before he leaned back and plucked a piece of toast from the tray,
eyeing the jam in debate as he replied, "You will. You have to for the brat.
Armin's planned it all out already, so you won't have to worry about preparing
anything yourself." He settled for dipping the toast in the jam rather than
spreading it over the surface since utilizing the knife would require both
hands, and he was not ready to remove his arm from around his mate's waist just
yet.
Eren took one of the muffins, immediately picking it apart and popping pieces
in his mouth. "Armin won't get me the things I like, he doesn't know my
cravings like you do," Eren sighed.
Levi slanted a knowing look at his mate, swallowing the bite of toast he'd had
before he replied, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "I may
have given him a list."
The brunette smiled slightly, cheeks turning red. "Levi," he laughed. "Armin
and Mikasa will never stop making fun of me. Some of the stuff on that list was
weird, you know that."
The subtle smile twitched into a full-scale smirk as the alpha feigned interest
in his toast as he murmured in a serious tone, "I also may have sworn him to
secrecy under some rather creative threats I am not at liberty to discuss."
Eren giggled, nearly choking on his muffin. "Thank you,babe," he said, leaning
into the man.
A rumbling purr sounded from the alpha's bare chest, pleased with himself for
having had the forethought to do these little things for his mate and finding
he was rather fond of pet names. He'd been calling Eren baby since almost the
beginning, hadn't even really consciously begun doing it, but it'd become
habit; it was oddly endearing for Eren to use one in reference to his older
mate. "You're welcome, love," his voice came out in a silky, low rumble,
remnants from the purring previous and he brushed his knuckles along the column
of Eren's throat affectionately. He dipped the toast into the jam again before
taking another bite.
Eren sighed, taking the toast from Levi's hand and the knife on the plate to
properly spread jam on the it before handing it back to the man. "There," he
said. He really was becoming a mother.
Levi watched the boy with an amused expression, silver gaze glinting with warm
humour as Eren took and prepared his toast for him before offering it back to
him. "Hm, you missed a corner," he teased, before he bit into it, giving Eren a
little squeeze as he chewed.
The omega rolled his eyes, leaning eagerly into the squeeze as he started on
the eggs. It was the best breakfast he'd had in a long time. But when the food
was gone and Eren looked at the clock, his face fell.
Levi noticed the look and change in his mate's scent and followed his gaze to
the clock, letting out a soft growl under his breath. He set the emptied tray
aside and turned more fully to face his mate, cupping one soft cheek with his
hand. "Hey, don't look like that. Everything's going to be alright. You wanna
help me get my gear on?"
Eren gave a slow nod even though he didn't want to help Levi at all. He wanted
to put the man in a pair of pajamas and tuck him in bed, then snuggle him for
days. The omega got out of bed, slow in his movements as he fetched Levi's
clothes and straps.
The alpha watched the boy move awkwardly around the room, hiding a smile he
couldn't possibly hope to keep from his mouth and rolled out of the bed as
well, shimmying out of his PJ bottoms and underwear, accepting a fresh pair
from his mate and redressing in a proper uniform.
Eren watched Levi dress in his uniform before he sat the man down on the bed,
the heavily pregnant omega leaning down on his knees with a bit of difficulty
to begin putting on Levi's straps. He knew Levi didn't really need help, but he
wanted to do this for him. He wanted to help his alpha however he could, show
him as much love as possible before he would be gone.
Levi stilled the omega's movements a moment to cup his chin and lift his face,
bending himself forward to press a lingering kiss to his mate's mouth, pulling
back after several long seconds. He didn't say anything or do anything else,
just leaned back to allow Eren to finish what he'd been doing, the alpha's
limbs pliant as the boy slipped the well-worn leather straps onto him.
The younger man buckled up the straps, finishing before he took another look at
the clock. "You only have... A few minutes," Eren whispered, looking at the
window. Outside, soldiers were beginning to gather with their horses.
The dark-haired captain bent forward and drew the omega into his arms, pressing
his face into Eren's neck, "I know," he whispered against the skin, voice thick
with emotion. "I love you so much Eren... Be safe."
“You're the one who needs to be safe," Eren whimpered hoarsely, desperately
burying his face in Levi's chest as the alpha held him.
"I'll be safer knowing you're safe, baby... Hey... Shh, everything is going to
be fine..." He cooed in low husky tones, running fingers repeatedly through the
boy's messy hair. "I'm going to win the world back for us so we can get married
outside these shitty walls and live by the ocean. I'll definitely come back to
you."
Eren nodded, hands rubbing up and down the alpha's back. "Bring me back
something pretty from the outside?" Eren whispered hoarsely, trying his best to
hold back his tears.
"I'll try to remember. Maybe I can find another book, though I doubt it will be
pretty," the raven responded. He didn't know if he would be able to bring Eren
a souvenir this time, but he was certainly going to fucking try. Levi's grip
tightened and he pressed his nose in behind Eren's ear, inhaling deeply,
memorizing what had become his favourite scent.
There was a knock on the door and a fully geared Hanji poked her head in. "Time
to head out, Cap'n. You ready to go?" He growled in response, but reluctantly
released Eren, standing and helping the pregnant boy back to his feet.
Eren practically threw himself at Levi again, arms flinging around his neck.
"The baby will miss you," Eren whined. And by the baby, he obviously meant
himself. He would miss Levi so damn much, but he knew if he admitted it, he
would burst into tears.
"I'll miss you both too, baby. It already hurts. But hey, Armin said he'll take
you out to see the stars, so when you're looking up at them, I'll be looking,
too. Even if we're separated by miles and walls, we'll be under the same sky
together," his voice wavered as he spoke, threatening to crack and he stroked
the omega's hair and back with one hand, while his other flattened against the
warm mound of his mate's belly, "One week, baby."
Hanji watched them from the doorway with teary doe eyes and stayed silent even
though they really should be leaving.
Eren suddenly broke out in sobs, unable to hold it back any longer as he
clutched at Levi. The baby stirred uncomfortably beneath his father's palm. "I
can't last a week," Eren sobbed desperately.
"You can. You have to..." Levi crooned and rubbed his scent on as much of the
boy's body as he could, desperately trying to sooth him. His chest felt like it
was caving in again, but he remained strong because if he broke, he wouldn't be
able to leave at all.
The boy let out pained sobs and wails, clutching at the back of the man's
shirt. "Just go before I can't let go. Please come back, please come back," he
wept desperately, breath hitching as his tears wet Levi's neck.
Levi nodded against him and forced himself to pull away from the nearly
hysterical omega. He cupped Eren's face and pressed desperate kisses all over
it. "I'll see you soon. I love you... I love you... Wait for me..."
"I will," the distraught omega breathed. "The baby, too. The baby will wait,
too. I love you... Come back." He shook, forcing himself to pull his hands
away. "Go!" He shouted. He couldn't hold back from grabbing the man and holding
on forever for much longer. Levi only had about ten seconds.
The alpha whirled around, heavy forced steps falling and Hanji fell back at the
ferocious storm of emotion on his face and he didn't look back.
Eren tried to control his sobbing by just telling himself Levi was going to the
bathroom. Yes, that was all. He would be back in a few minutes, he told
himself. But of course, he knew it was a lie.
The raven stalked down the corridor, his scent as chaotic as his emotions, jaw
clenched so tightly it ached, but he didn't feel it. Walking away from his mate
had turned him numb. It started in his chest and spread through him like ice,
glacial and apathetic. It was horrible, but necessary. He would bare it because
it would be worth it in the end. He consoled himself by believing he would be
warm again when he returned, just one week. He could live heartless for just
one week.
Eren curled himself up on the bed, crying for who knows how long, unable to
even watch Levi go. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t survive without his mate
for an entire week. He didn’t know how long it had been when Armin found him,
but the little blonde omega curled up behind his friend, wrapping him up in his
arms and trying to console him. It helped a little, at least.
The first day Levi was gone, Eren just wept. He wept, and he wept, no matter
how much Armin, Sasha, or the others who'd stayed behind tried to console him.
He was too overemotional and now that he'd gotten started crying, he just
couldn't stop. He even cried in his sleep that night.
Though, the next day, Armin had managed to get him out of bed and convinced him
to take a bath, put on some clothes (Levi's, of course), and eat a proper
breakfast. Outside, like Levi had requested. Eren sat there, picking at his
toast with absent-minded disinterest.
"Oh, come on, Eren... This isn't so bad," said Armin. "You know, I miss Mikasa
and the others too. But I know they'll come back.
"You don't know that..." Eren mumbled, shaking his head. "They could already be
dead by now."
"Don't say that! Levi is the strongest man I know, probably the strongest man
in the world. He'll come back safely, so will our friends," Armin said firmly,
and Eren tried his best to give a nod. "Be optimistic, Eren. Use this time to
bond with the baby more, and we can start trying to build a crib and knit baby
clothes and such. I'm sure someone around here knows how to do that stuff,"
Armin assured, giving the other omega a gentle bump with his shoulder. Eren
gave a slight smile at Armin's effort, but his smile soon snapped down into a
frown again when he heard someone yelling.
"They're here! They're here!" Someone was screaming. Eren thought maybe they
meant the scouts, but the screams were of terror. "The military police are
here! Get everyone to the canons!"
"Eren, come on--" Armin stammered, quickly grabbing Eren's arm and yanking him
up, pulling him toward the door and beginning to run down the halls.
"A-Armin! Armin, wait! I can't run that fast!" Eren panted as Armin yanked the
pregnant omega into he and Levi's room.
"Get under the bed, quick! We don't have time to get to the cellar!" Armin
hissed as he glanced out the window; the MP already beginning to fire shots.
Armin closed the curtains of the window, but there was soon a gunshot, followed
by a crash of glass and the shriek of the bars being torn from the window
ledge. Armin screamed as the window was shot out and Eren dropped to the floor,
grabbing the story book off the nightstand before he was struggling to fit
himself under the bed, his breathing frantic.
It was no use. Seconds later, military police members were bursting through the
broken window and the door, grabbing a screaming Armin before ripping Eren out
from under the bed. The brunette cried out in terror, a Braxton contraction
from fear causing him to cry out even louder. He raised his hand to bite, but
suddenly, the crushing force of a foot stepped down on his hand and Eren
screamed in pain as he felt his fingers snap, stomach immediately hardening in
the face of danger.
Eren looked up with teary eyes, trying desperately to rip his hand away from
the boot it was pinned beneath. The boot belonged to a very, very familiar
face. Blue eyes, blonde hair, strong cheek bones that could pierce human flesh.
Eren shook with fear at the sight of Erwin, struggling harder.
"No! No!" The omega screamed desperately.
Erwin's free booted foot came down, pressing harshly on Eren's face and causing
blood to spurt down from his nose and lip, running all over his chest and down
to the book clutched against it.
"Yes, yes," Erwin teased cruelly, reaching down and taking the bloody book from
Eren's hand. "Oh, look at this. Ruined. Look what you've done now, Eren. This
is why Levi left," Erwin stated maliciously.
"He didn't leave!" Eren sobbed desperately. "He's coming back! He's coming back
for me!"
"No point in coming back for a corpse. And when you're dead, you won't be
needing this." Erwin reached down again, grabbing Eren's hand and ripping the
ring off the omega's finger as Eren let out an angry scream of protest. "Such a
shame. You wouldn't have made a half bad whore bride," Erwin spat, tucking the
ring and the story book in his jacket pocket. "I'm glad I'll have some
souvenirs to bring Levi once I catch up to him. He will want to remember his
dead mate, after all. Or maybe he won't," Erwin shrugged. "Gag him. The blonde
one, too."
Eren and Armin were gagged, tied up, and shoved in sacks before being roughly
carried off, beaten any time they tried to struggle. It was so hot and there
was so little air. The jerking of the carriage ride caused the omega to have
more false labour pains, making him struggle even more than necessary. It only
prompted more beatings.
He was taken to an unknown room, tortured with silent beatings throughout the
night, until he assumed it was morning.
Eren didn't think he could breathe anymore, when suddenly the sack was ripped
off his head, then the gag ripped out of his mouth by none other than Nile Dok.
Eren gasped for air, struggling against the ropes.
"Let me go," Eren croaked.
"I can't do that, I'm afraid. You'll miss the show." Dok grabbed the back of
Eren's neck, shoving it forward into the round slot of a wooden board before
another board was set on top of it to lock Eren in place, the omega struggling
to try and keep his crystallized stomach covered, but he couldn't use his
hands. "I call this show... The execution of a monster." He grinned, stepping
back. Only then did Eren realize dozens of people were there to watch.
"I'll kill you!" Eren screamed. "I'll kill you all!"
"I doubt that," Erwin cut in. "You're useless in this state, you know that.
Levi knows that. Executioner, whenever you're ready. I want to bring Levi his
head, and I've got to leave in five minutes to catch up with him.
"Sir, the guillotine blade won't be ready for another twenty minutes," the
masked executioner apologized.
"Damn it," Erwin cursed under his breath. "I'll have to leave before that. Such
a shame; I wanted to see this."
"Don't worry, I'll catch up with you later and bring the head," Nile assured
him. "You go on."
Erwin stormed out of the room while Eren let his head drop limply, letting out
a weak sob which made nearly everyone laugh.
He stayed like that. He stayed like that for twenty minutes. The blade was
ready, but people had begun throwing things at him. Nile decided to let them
have their fun, and Eren couldn't do anything to stop it.
Two hours, then. It was two hours of torture before the guillotine blade was
finally hooked up. Eren gritted his teeth as Nile gave the signal, the blade
coming down with a loud swishing sound. The second the metal touched Eren's
skin, there was a blast of green that blew the room apart, the Titan of the
once weak omega letting out a magnificent and terrifying roar, eyes furious. It
staggered for a moment, as though in pain as another cry escaped it's lips, but
it quickly recovered. It didn't hesitate to rip off every roof and destroy
every secret room and every enemy soldier until his friends were free,
including Armin. Before the blonde omega could protest, Eren was running off
into the distance, another horrid scream escaping his Titan's throat.
 
===============================================================================
Levi didn't speak unless he had to, no matter how Hanji tried to coax him. He
couldn't laugh; he couldn't joke or smile; he couldn't scream or curse, or even
weep. He greeted his apathy like an old friend and wrapped himself in the
stoicism that had given him the brand "heartless" and he was, or perhaps it was
there; he just couldn't feel it.
It was only at night that the armour fell away. It was in his eyes when he
looked up at the sky. Hanji saw it... Those eyes full of stars were only meant
for Eren. It made her want to cry all the tears he couldn't.
They were all solemn when they crossed over the threshold of the wall and it
was understood that they all might meet death that day. But they would not go
easy.
When they reached the coordinates that intel had specified, it was just passed
midday on the third day into the expedition. And it was hell. They'd never seen
anything like it before. They barely had the chance to give the massacre a
cursory glance before they were being assaulted themselves. There were so many
titans, Levi lost count. How many there had been, how many he'd killed, how
many were left. It was an unending stream of enemies and he was in the thick of
it, dizzy from spinning and whirling and Mikasa was a machine, like him; she
did not feel, empty as she cut them down alongside him. They killed as many as
they had lost and still more followed. The rest of the corps was there, even a
handful of members of both the Garrison and Military Police weaved as
frantically as they did. They were all united then, not for humanity, but for
survival. Too slow; dead. Too impatient; dead. Too careless; dead. Too
cautious;dead. Heartless; survive.
And they retreated when they could to regroup, reload, restock, but never
relax. It was two days in hell before Levi caught sight of someone familiar not
from his troops. It was two full days of sending his men to die that Commander
Erwin finally joined them in hell.
Titans seemed to be retreating. He didn't know why, but they were backing off.
They hovered, but didn't actively engage the humans. It was too strange. It was
like they were waiting for something. It was then that Levi was able to seek
out the other monster on the field. He knocked into the taller alpha's shoulder
as he whirled overhead and twisted to land with predatory grace a few feet in
front of the staggered blonde, a vicious little smirk on the raven's lips.
Erwin would not see the inside of the walls again.
"I see you finally managed to show up... Did you sleep in late, or were you too
busy licking high class boots to arrive on time?"
"Actually, I was busy getting this." Erwin reached inside his jacket pocket,
taking out the bloody story book and throwing it at the alpha, hitting him
square in the chest. "And I guess the wedding's off too, huh?" He pulled out
the ring, throwing that at Levi as well while a malicious smirk crossed his
lips. "He's dead, Levi. I've won."
Levi managed to catch both items, almost fumbling the ring. His breath stilled
in his lungs and turned frigid as he looked at the things that the blonde alpha
had thrown at him, Erwin's words ringing in his head over the static rush of
his own blood in his ears.
"No..." It came out choked, the darkness in him rising up as his little flame
of hope faded. "Why?! Why do this to him? To me? I've come to fight for your
precious fucking cause. I'll kill you..." The fading flame went out and then
there was only darkness. "You're dead..." It was a statement, said in a voice
as dark as his words, murder on his tongue. He gently tucked away the book and
slid the ring onto the pinkie finger of his left hand where it fit snugly and
then he grit his teeth, bared in a snarl of pure blood lust, mercurial eyes
shifted like a winter squall, pupils narrowed to pinpricks in their depths.
This was hell and he was a demon with a vendetta against a monster.
He moved then, lightning swift, liquid like starless nights and twice as
dangerous. His blades were turned dishonourably, but demons needed no honour
anyway. He struck out at the alpha with a guttural growl.
Erwin barely managed to block Levi's blades with his own, the blonde stumbling
back a bit before taking a swing at Levi. "Don't you understand? It's over!
I've won!" Erwin shouted. "You know, the baby was actually kind of cute. It
looked just like you, black hair and blue eyes. It's a shame it never got to
see the light of day. I can't decide whether the best part was ripping it out
of Eren, or watching them both bleed to death when I slit their throats," Erwin
lied, smirking as he saw Levi freeze for a moment at his words, which gave the
man the perfect opportunity to knock one of Levi's blades from his hand. "Oh,
Levi," Erwin said in a mockingly feminine voice. "Levi, save me. Levi, help me,
it hurts," the blonde alpha taunted. "It was pathetically hilarious, you
should've heard his begging."
The raven alpha hissed when he lost one of his blades, but didn't bother
loading another. He only needed one to kill a monster that was a parody of man.
One blade would be enough. The words were likely untrue; he knew they were
meant to taunt him, to distract him. He had to let his darkness consume him, to
take control because he could only think of his beautiful mate and that image
from all those months ago of that tiny bundle cradled in Eren's arms. And there
was an anguished screaming in his head that wouldn't be silenced. Adrenaline
propelled him forward again, feinting to the left before moving in a blur of
motion that distinctly belonged to the gutters he'd been raised in, he kicked
out the blonde's ankle from under him, sending him down hard on one knee and as
he spun away again, slashed a wide, but shallow swath across his once friend's
chest.
Erwin gritted his teeth in pain as blood began seeping through his shirt. "I
know you can smell his blood on that book. You can smell his pain," Erwin
gritted out. "He deserved it. He was a damn monster, and you deserve it for
creating another damn monster inside of him!" Erwin pulled a dirty move and
clicked one of the triggers on his blades, causing a grappling hook meant for
scaling walls to shoot out and anchor into Levi's thigh. Erwin pulled on the
cord, yanking Levi forward and into the mud alongside him. "You've lost your
spirit, Levi. I know you can fight better than this."
"It won't matter if I die here, but you have to know you'll die with me." Levi
didn't look as if he felt the searing of torn flesh or the hot gush of blood
down his ruined pant leg. It would've been a shame if the pants weren't already
beyond repair. He headbutted the commander in the chin, the blond's head
snapping back with a crack from the impact. Levi's head went fuzzy, but he
still fisted both hands around the line still lodged in his thigh and used it
to yank the other alpha into his opposing raised knee.
Erwin let out a grunt at the impact, grabbing Levi by the collar and meaning to
throw him on the ground, but he froze in his tracks when he heard a screaming
roar in the distance. All of the nearby Titans began to run clumsily toward the
source of the scream. Trees splintered and crashed down left and right as the
aggravated omega Titan burst through the forest, arriving where his mate's
scent was strongest before he let out another roar, which was filled with both
anger and pain. He smacked and kicked at the small Titans around them, biting
out their napes and ripping them apart with his teeth.
"What... The hell..." Erwin whispered in shock. "This can't be..."
Levi started to laugh, breathy and dangerous and it only grew as he heard the
familiar roars and he felt the thunder of Eren's steps shuddering beneath them.
"You lose, Smith..." He said in a lilting, darkly amused tone and he closed his
eyes to listen to his heart beat. It'd been an eternity since he'd heard it.
And there with his eyes closed while Erwin's attention was trained on what
should have been a ghost, Levi twisted his wrist and supported it with his
other hand, and he thrust his broken blade up into the commander's gut.
"Im-possible..." Erwin choked, blood dripping from his lips. "Im-possi--" he
raised a shaky hand holding a blade to retaliate, but Eren's Titan was near
within seconds, reaching down to pick up the nearly dead commander as he saw
the threat to his mate. Erwin's empty eyes locked with Levi's before his head
was in Eren's mouth, a roar escaping the shifter as he bit off the commander's
head and tossed the body aside. He'd never, ever deliberately killed a human
like that. No, Erwin wasn't a human. He was more monster than Eren ever would
be.
Despite the fact his Titan was completely in tact and looking fairly strong,
there was obviously something very wrong in the way that he kept screaming,
roaring, and staggering. His eyes kept rolling back as though he wanted to pass
out, but he resisted.
Levi's eyes watched the ending moments and when Eren spit the head out of his
mouth, Levi moved. He ripped out the hook from his leg without flinching and
had shot his own hooks into the shifter's flesh, swinging up onto his
distraught mate's shoulder near his ear. He had only one blade left to free
Eren. He settled himself against the side of Eren's throat and sunk the steel
into his flesh, cursing when steam rose immediately. He began to croon and
scented the air as strongly as he could, talking though he could not have known
if the boy could hear him. "Eren... Baby, listen to me... You have to let me
get you out... You're safe now... We're safe..." He kept repeating the words
over and over again. 
Nearly everyone had retreated by then, staying far, far away from the scene
that unfolded. Even though Eren was trusted, his Titan was sometimes
unpredictable. Even Mikasa knew that. And Hanji kept a grip on the girl, though
she knew to keep her distance.
Eren roared when Levi's blade entered his flesh, staggering a bit more before
he instinctively began to run, crashing through the trees and running nearly a
mile away from the others before he had to stop, staggering again as another
strangled noise escaped him and soon enough, he had fallen to his knees. Levi
barely had enough time to steady himself before Eren's Titan had crashed down
to the forest floor, unmoving.
 
 
***** Another Heart to Hold *****
Chapter Summary
     Trigger Warning: Graphic Mpreg birth, blood and icky shit and dunno
     if it's necessary, but just in case it makes people squeamish, male
     breastfeeding.
The alpha was frantic when Eren's form finally crashed and was still on the
forest floor. He lost his footing on the flesh of the shifter's Titan form and
had to scramble to be sure he did not slide off onto the ground. He had run out
of gas, the last of it used to get to Eren's back from the trees in the first
place. His hands shook so badly, he had to use both just to keep his grip on
the blade's hilt and there were desperate tears blurring his vision as he drove
it through muscle and flesh and kept at it until he could see his mate trapped
within. He threw the blade away and released his heavy gear, uncaring of where
it fell and didn't flinch when heat reddened and blistered his skin as he
wrapped his arms around his mate and pulled until he felt a give and then they
were falling, and it was all he could do to brace the boy against him and take
the brunt of the ground's impact.
Eren was limp against his alpha, still in a half unconscious state until they
hit the ground. He grunted in pain, letting out a little yelp. He couldn't
bring himself to open his eyes yet, striped and burning markings decorating the
omega's face where he had been connected with his Titan. It stung and seared
like usual, but it was nothing compared to the contractions that crashed over
him in vicious waves. Eren couldn't even tell Levi what was wrong as another
one hit. The omega let out a shaky cry, panting as one hand gripped at Levi,
the other hand gripping at his stomach. "Gh--" Eren tried to hold back the
pained noises, but he couldn't help it. All of his injuries from his recent
brush with the MP were healed, but there was blood between his legs, staining
his torn pants a deep wine colour.
The alpha could feel his body throbbing, but was detached from the pain,
adrenaline keeping his nerves essentially numb as he rolled his mate onto his
back, silver eyes bright with concern and near panic. He could smell it. The
blood seeping from Eren's backside only serving as proof.
"No... No... Damn it..." He whispered hoarsely, but it didn't matter whether it
was too early or where they happened to be. The baby was coming.
He stripped his mate with careful, trembling hands before stripping off his own
shirt and jacket. He spread the jacket out beneath Eren's hips, maneuvering the
boy as gently as he could, the story book placed to the side, carelessly tossed
into the grass because his mate was so much more important right then. He
didn't know what he was supposed to do. Hanji was supposed to be there to help;
he had no supplies, no real knowledge. He'd seen birth before, others like him
born in the gutter, but he'd never had to deliver them.
He crooned soft and low and broken, breathing hard as he forced himself to look
between his mate's legs, wiping away as much blood as he could with the boy's
already destroyed pants. He had the shifter's knees bent and spread, his face
pale as he looked between them before looking up at Eren's pained face.
"Baby... Eren, can you hear me? You have to wake up, baby..."
Eren let his head loll back and forth a bit at the sound of his mate's voice.
He let out a low, whining groan, legs shaking as he forced open his eyes a bit.
"Levi?" He asked quietly, blinking a few times to try and clear his vision.
"Yeah, baby, it's me, I'm here..." Levi cooed shakily, leaning up between the
shifter's spread legs to palm at his sweaty and overheated face. "The... The
baby's coming, so you gotta stay awake for me, okay?"
"I-It's too soon," Eren breathed in disbelief. He barely remembered how he'd
gotten there, but the steaming Titan carcass was enough to explain. "Nh-- It
hurts," he managed to grit out, legs shaking as though tempted to close.
"Shh, I know it does, baby... Just breathe, okay? In and out," the raven
soothed, forcing his tone calm and desperately regulating his own breaths in
order to demonstrate as his palm caressed along the boy's cheek. His other hand
rubbed up and down a trembling thigh as the omega's limbs pressed against his
sides where he knelt between them. "It's going to be alright, baby... Just
breathe."
Eren took deep breaths, pressing his cheek into Levi's palm as he closed his
eyes. "W-Where are we? Where are the others?" Eren croaked. Why were he and
Levi the only ones here? Where was Hanji?
"We're outside the walls, baby... Don't worry... The others are alright...
They're still busy at the battlefield. We've won, Eren..." He breathed out. And
they had, hadn't they? The Titans had retreated and he had no doubt that the
others followed to pick them off one by one. They would be extinct by morning.
He should have been there, but the world could wait; Eren could not.
"We have?" Eren whispered in confusion. His hands formed fists, head tossing
back as a sudden cry escaped him, strained and pained. "Hh-- Shit--" Eren
hissed out, eyes teary.
"Shh... Shh..." Levi soothed, leaning back to look below again, gritting his
teeth. They didn't have a lot of time. "Eren," he called when the boy went limp
again, no longer seizing with the pain of a contraction. "Baby, I think you
need to start pushing when the next one comes, okay? Can you do that for me?"
Eren opened his eyes again and looked at the man. "I-I don't know," he
whimpered. "I don't know... It hurts so bad--" the omega sobbed in fear. He
didn't know what exactly was happening and this all felt like a dream, besides
the pain. The pain was very, very real.
"I know... It's supposed to hurt, baby, remember? I'm sorry," the alpha tried
to remain calm, shaking in spite of his best efforts to be still and he grasped
at Eren's hand with his own, his other still on his thigh, keeping the boy from
closing his legs instinctively against the pain that was washing through him.
"Why now? Why now?" Eren asked desperately. Why in the middle of nowhere, with
no one with medical experience? Sure, of course, he trusted Levi, but they had
no supplies and no way of knowing what to do. Another contraction ran through
him and he gritted his teeth, squeezing Levi's hand before he instinctively
bore down. He pushed and he could feel something moving down, so he immediately
stopped, trying to look down between his legs in fear.
Levi met the startled and frightened gaze and shifted on his knees, "That's
right... You're doing good, baby. Let your instincts take control. They know
what to do... Don't be scared... It's going to be alright..." He cooed,
desperately clinging to his own assurances. Eren was an omega; he was meant to
do this; his body was prepared for it, had been preparing for months. The boy's
instincts would pressure him eventually no matter if he fought against their
control. He shouldn't fight them. He squeezed Eren's hand back and wet his
lips. "Let the baby come, Eren... It's okay..."
Eren's bitten down nails dug into Levi's hand as the omega laid back down in
exhaustion when he realized he couldn't see between his legs. He laid flat on
his back, panting. He was supposed to be propped up with pillows, Levi sitting
behind him to support him while Hanji delivered the baby. But instead, he laid
flat in the grass while his alpha tried to help deliver their baby. He pushed
down again when the next contraction came, despite the pain he faced.
The alpha swallowed hard, looking back between his mate's legs when the omega
tensed again and his eyes went wide. He felt sick, but at the same moment,
excited and elated. "S'good... Just a little more," he encouraged as his
stomach fluttered and his heart raced in his chest. He could just see the dark
tuft of what was no doubt their baby's hair as Eren's body strained and his
swollen red entrance stretched further to accommodate the baby's head. He
crooned and cooed, letting the omega crush his hand as he needed, hardly
feeling it as circulation was cut off.
Eren was screaming bloody murder by the time the top of the head was coming
out. It felt like nothing he'd ever felt before; it hurt so badly inside and
out. "I can't! I can't!" Eren cried as he squeezed Levi's hand and stopped
pushing down from exhaustion.
"You can, baby, you can... You're doing so good... Just breathe... It's almost
over," it could be a lie; he didn't know, but the head of their child was
nearly free and he had to keep Eren from fighting the rest. It would be more
painful, worse before it was better and he prayed that once it was finally
over, Eren would heal as quickly as he'd seemed to when he'd first been pulled
from his shifted form. If he didn't, the alpha didn't know what he would do...
If Eren bled out... He shut the thought down and focused back on the panting
and crying boy. He had to believe it would be alright. "I can see him, baby...
Just a little more and we'll have him...You want to see him, don't you?" He
breathed out heavily, doing anything he could to encourage his mate to continue
through the pain he was so obviously in.
"I want to see him," Eren begged quietly, though he knew he couldn't see the
baby until it was out. He reached down with the hand not holding Levi's, shy
fingers searching until he found the top of the head. His breath hitched as he
felt the head of his baby; he didn't think it was real. "Levi--" he whispered
in disbelief.
Levi caught the shifter's searching hand and gently pulled it away, "Yes,
baby... He's on his way, but you have to help him, okay?" he replied, bending
slightly to kiss at the back of the hand he had stilled in his grip, watching
the exhausted boy with eyes that were so startlingly bright with a multitude of
emotions, there was no real definition from one to the other.
Eren gave a slight nod, looking at Levi with fear in his eyes. He was terrified
he wouldn't be able to do this, that he wasn't strong enough to do this. Their
baby would die because he wasn't strong enough. The omega shook with the pain
of a contraction, letting out a desperate sobbing scream that made the birds
fly from the trees as he pushed down. There was so much blood, but Eren
couldn't see that.
The older male bit the inside of his cheek hard, tasting his own blood on his
tongue as his eyes flickered back to where their baby was and he let go of his
mate's hands to assist as the head, then the shoulders began to press through
the tight threshold. There was so much blood and fluid and it looked like Eren
was tearing, but at this point, there was nothing he could do but massage the
pads of his thumbs around the abused entrance to hopefully help open it
further. Just a little more. Once the shoulders were through, the rest would
come easier; he knew that much. "Almost there, baby... So close... One more...
Just one more... You can do this... You're amazing..."
The omega wept desperately and shook his head. "I can't do it! I can't do it!"
He sobbed. It burned and it stung and the pain of the contractions was pounding
against every organ inside his body.
"Shh, you can, Eren... You can... I'm right here, baby... I know it hurts... I
know... But it'll be over soon... Just a little longer and we'll see him..." he
was repeating himself, but he had nothing else, no other consoling words. It
had been long minutes, or was it seconds, and the baby was beginning to turn
blue. He couldn't breathe; Levi knew they only had a few short moments to get
the infant out and clear his airways. "Please, baby, you have too..." He was
pleading, breathless with the onset of his own fear.
Eren bore down once more, just enough for the baby to slide out into Levi's
waiting arms with a gush of blood and fluid. The omega hadn't even realized it
was out yet, gasping and crying in pain.
Levi was crooning, though he wasn't looking at his gasping mate, desperate
mercury eyes trained on the slippery and unresponsive infant in his arms.
Trembling fingers were pressing inside that tiny mouth as he rubbed and tapped
the baby's back as firmly and gently as he could, trying to do anything he
could think of the force the fluid from their child's airways.
There was a tiny jerk, a stiffening of the little body and Levi almost cried
when he felt wetness slide out around his fingers. He pulled them free just
before a high, squalling cry ripped through the air. It was the most beautiful
fucking sound he'd ever heard. He had to tear the cord that was still attached
before he swaddled the red and still bloodied baby in the material of his
discarded shirt, cradling the baby in one arm as he finally looked back up at
Eren, "You did it, Eren... Baby, look," he called, voice higher than usual and
shaking with the rush of adrenaline and relief.
Eren panted, Levi's voice fuzzy as he looked at the man, then down at the
bloodied little bundle in his arms. The omega's limp legs turned inward as they
slid down from their raised position. "Baby," Eren whispered in awe, looking at
the child that he couldn't believe had just come out of him.
Levi nodded and exhaled heavily when Eren's legs seemed to relax. He'd lied; it
wasn't over, but he couldn't bring himself to tell the boy that his relief
would be short-lived at least for a few minutes. The afterbirth would come and
there would only be these few moments before Eren's body would begin the
process of expelling it before he would finally be able to recover. Levi could
only hope that once it was finally all over, Eren would heal because he had no
way to aide his mate if he didn't.
The boy stretched out a shaky hand, reaching for the baby before his hand fell
to the ground in exhaustion. "I want to hold him," Eren whined hoarsely.
"Her..." Levi corrected, leaning to offer the now quieted baby to her mother,
carefully pressing her to Eren's chest and steadying her in his mate's weak
hold. He'd have to take her back when the contractions started again, but how
could he refuse the exhausted boy's request after he'd fought so hard to bring
her into the world?
Eren's arms wrapped around the baby on his chest, taking in gasping breaths
that were shaky with emotion. "It's a girl," he whispered in shock at Levi's
words, voice shuddering as he looked her over. She had dark brown hair, just a
bit darker than Eren's and round, chubby cheeks and matching chubby little
hands. Her eyes were still closed as she wailed, but Eren could already tell
they were going to be a perfect bright silver-blue to match that perfect curly
brown hair. "She's perfect, so perfect," the omega said shakily, closing his
eyes and furrowing his brows as he held onto his baby.
Levi smiled. "You both are," he said reverently, his own voice hoarse. He
watched his mate for several seconds before he leaned back to glance down. He
was still bleeding, but it was sluggish and the alpha worried his bottom lip
between his teeth in debate.
"Eren... Are you... Do you feel like you need to push again?" he questioned
tentatively when his gaze flickered back to the boy's face, noticing the
furrowed brow.
"A little," Eren answered. "I can't push any more, she's here."
The alpha nodded a little. "If you feel like you need to, don't fight it...
It's okay..." Levi encouraged softly, brushing one somewhat sticky hand along
the outside of the shifter's thigh reassuringly. "It's supposed to happen... It
won't hurt like it did, I promise, baby," he assured, knowing that the
afterbirth would be expelled far quicker and far less painfully than their
child had been and he didn't want the boy to panic.
"Are you sure?" Eren whispered in an exhaustion laced tone, fighting to keep
his eyes open as he admired their baby.
"I'm sure, baby... If you need to, you just give her back to me for a minute
alright?" Levi suggested, watching Eren's eyes flutter. He hoped it would be
soon. The boy was so pale; he needed to heal, but Levi had the suspicion that
his shifter abilities would not begin repairing the damage until the entire
birthing process was finished and he was anxious.
“I can’t let go,” Eren mumbled, bringing a finger down to stroke their baby’s
chubby little cheeks. “Look at her,” Eren whispered reverently, barely audible.
Levi's gaze was warmed with affection, even with the lingering concern in the
silver depths and he nodded. "She's beautiful, baby, just like you," he stated
softly, rubbing his other hand up Eren's sweaty side.
“Don’t let them take her. Don’t let them,” Eren begged desperately.
"Shh baby, I'm not going to let anyone take her from us," Levi didn't even know
if there were any officers left to even try to take their baby or Eren from him
again, but it didn't matter because if anyone tried, Levi would do anything he
had to to keep his mate and child safe.
“They took me ag-gain,” The omega gritted out, flinching in pain as his body
pounded with a dull contraction to try and force the afterbirth out.
"I'm sorry, baby... I'm so sorry..." There was pain and guilt in Levi's voice
and he shifted between Eren's knees. He could feel and see the tensing of the
shifter's body and swallowed, reaching out for the bundled infant after a
second, concern overlaying the shame he felt for having failed Eren again.
"Love, I think it's time... Let me take her so you don't accidentally squeeze
her and I'll give her right back to you when it's over," he attempted to coax
his mate, stained hands outstretched to receive their baby.
Eren reluctantly let Levi take the baby off his chest, the omega shaking as the
baby was taken from him, but he could finally give in to his pain and push
down, face contorted in a pained grimace.
Levi cradled their baby girl against his chest with tender firmness, one hand
holding her in place while his other rubbed soothingly against Eren's side as
the boy's body gave in to the ingrained instincts, forcing the excess fluids,
placenta and torn umbilical cord from inside the omega's womb as was natural.
Levi breathed a sigh of relief when it stopped and the boy fell back once
again. He immediately offered the baby back to his exhausted mate before he was
swiftly wrapping the afterbirth up in the already destroyed material of his
jacket, wiping up as much of the bloodied remnants of as he could from Eren's
thighs and backside with the boy's pants before he wrapped them around the
bundled jacket, standing on numb legs and disposing of the bundle several feet
away from them as quickly as he possibly could before he was back at Eren's
side.
His silver eyes were searching as he looked over his mate's body. "Heal...
Please heal," he whispered pleadingly under his breath.
Eren was staring up at Levi blankly, then the trees and the sky. Everything
seemed so quiet, so peaceful. He let his eyes close and he went completely limp
with the whining baby on his chest, shutting out the world completely as
everything went black. If this was death, it wasn’t so bad. He wasn’t sure if
he was dying, but a part of him was sure he was. It was kind of nice; peaceful.
On the outside, he wasn’t dead. He was nearly there, though. His breathing had
slowed, and the bleeding hadn’t stopped.
"Damn it! Please..." Levi had a hand in his own hair, tugging the strands
painfully, leaning over his mate. His voice was breaking under the strain of
his own begging. This could not be happening, not now, not after everything...
Tears rolled down his cheeks, unbidden and unnoticed as he watched his world
fading. He placed his other hand on the squirming infant tucked against Eren's
chest, rubbing her back absently as his shoulders shook with silent sobs. He
had no way to help Eren, no bandages, no equipment, no nothing. And he couldn't
bring himself to remove the baby from his mate. If Eren didn't heal... It
wouldn't be fair to keep her from him for whatever amount of time he had... And
Levi only cried harder, breaths hitching, but his weeping was soundless as he
waited and prayed to deities he'd never believed in.
The first little wisps of steam rose from between Eren’s legs shortly after his
breathing had become so shallow, the movements of his chest were nearly
unnoticeable. He was as pale as cotton, eyelids closed lightly and almost
serenely, his limp arms still loosely wrapped around their baby.
Levi didn't notice the steam for several long seconds, gaze fixated on the
boy's sallow face and closed eyes, listening to the shallow inhale and exhale
of his waning breaths. He was so sure Eren was dying and he could not save him.
The shame of what could only be his worst failure yet made him look away from
the boy, blurred vision staring unfocused over Eren's lower body. His breath
hitched and caught in his lungs and he roughly scrubbed the tears from his eyes
to be sure he'd seen what he thought he had. The breath he'd unconsciously been
holding rushed from him in a breathy laugh of relief upon seeing another curl
of steam rise and fade in the air.
His hand ran through his hair once before falling to Eren's face, cupping his
cheek with stained and trembling fingers and he bent to rest his head against
the boy's chest next to where their baby girl that had finally settled and was
sleeping as silently as her mother. "Thank you... Thank you..." He repeated the
gratitude over and over, laying himself out next to his mate and child, curling
around the both of them as much as he could to keep them warm and safe. And he
was so tired, but he did not sleep.
Eren’s limp body was curled in Levi’s tight embrace as he slowly healed. He was
more relaxed and at peace than ever, submerged in his unconscious state
completely as some of the colour returned to his face. His healing was slow,
but sure. And the baby slept comfortably against her mother’s chest until her
blue eyes opened, restless as she whined and finally locked eyes with her
father.
The feel of their little girl squirming beneath his palm and the sound of her
discomfort, not quite a cry, but still distressed had the alpha opening his
eyes to look at her and widening when he met the pale blue of his daughter's
inquisitive stare, still too young to see him clearly, but holding a sort of
instinctive recognition in the wide orbs. "Shh, it's okay, baby, we're here...
We're not going to let anything happen to you... Shh... Let your momma sleep
hm... He needs it," he cooed to the infant, her tiny body stilling at the sound
of his voice, though she did not go back to sleep, still staring back at him,
curious, but without fear. He began to croon softly, soothing his little
daughter and his unconscious mate, his hand stroking over the downy dark
chocolate strands on her tiny head with immediate affection and unconscious
gentleness. She was precious...
That was how Hanji found the little family. She landed a few feet on Eren's
other side, panting harshly and sending up a purple flare even as she fell to
her knees, immediately digging into the overstuffed bag slung over her
shoulder. Levi looked at her, but didn't move right away, limbs feeling too
lethargic to drag his body into an upright position. It was alright; she was
only there to help. He could trust her.
The woman immediately pulled out blankets and water, some bandages as well.
"How's the baby breathing? Is she breathing fine? Is Eren conscious?" She asked
frantically.
Levi blinked at her, slowly processing the words. He lifted his head and
reluctantly pulled himself up into a sitting position. "She's perfect... Eren
is sleeping... He's healing," his voice sounded far away and he accepted a
clean cloth and water from her when she offered it to him, mechanically
cleaning his hands, arms and chest of the mess that had been left on his skin.
"Is it safe now?"
Hanji let out a breath of relief before giving a nod. "Yes. They're gone.
They're all gone. The military police and the Titans..." Assured Hanji. "Thank
god you three are alright."
Levi nodded vaguely, looking back down at his mate and beginning to clean the
remnants of filth from his abdomen as best he could, allowing for the scientist
to check over the boy's lower body and clean him up.
He carefully picked up their baby from Eren's chest, accepting more clean
cloths and water before he removed his shirt from around her and wiped her pink
skin clear with gentle care, crooning to her when she fussed in his hold,
probably chilled. He was as quick as possible cleaning her up and once
satisfied, he wrapped her in a blanket before cradling her firmly against his
chest and rocking her in slow rhythmic motions while Hanji tended to Eren.
"She looks just like the both of you," Hanji observed softly, looking up from
Eren and smiling.
The alpha hummed his agreement. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" he asked
rhetorically. Even if Hanji didn't agree, he would believe nothing else. Their
daughter was perfect. He pulled his gaze away from the now sleeping infant
tucked against his chest and watched the woman for several long moments, "What
happens now?"
"We get everyone who's left back and try to find a safe place to stay," said
Hanji, shrugging. "We just have to do whatever we can to survive now. "
"We should stay out here," he murmured. Without Titans, the environment outside
the walls was likely safer for his mate and daughter than if they returned
inside. "Find a place that can be renovated, maybe that stone house we came
across last year... I can't put them in any more danger... We don't belong
within the walls anymore..."
Hanji nodded. "I've got people out searching, they'll send a flare when they
find something suitable."
"Thank you Hanji... For everything. I don't think I've ever said it before," he
said quietly, the sincerest gratitude in his voice when he spoke. She had been
his ally, his confidant, his friend; she was family now. "You'll stay outside
the walls with us? Or will you go back?" he questioned after moment. Even if
she went back within the walls, he knew there was nothing short of death that
would keep her from visiting them, but he almost hoped she would stay outside,
maybe the others too. Eren would want all of his family close.
There was a sudden thought and he glanced down at his left hand, panicked
momentarily before he caught sight of the ring still on his pinkie. He
carefully removed it whilst keeping a hold of their daughter and ever so gently
replaced it on Eren's still finger where it belonged. They were going to get
married... They were free and they were outside the cage that had been the
walls.
"There's nothing left for me inside the walls," Hanji spoke. "I'm staying
outside, never again will I be trapped there," she said triumphantly. "And if I
went back inside the walls, who would marry you and Eren?"
A vague smile flickered over his lips. "There's no one we'd rather have do the
honours, shitty glasses," he agreed, eyes warm as he watched her tucking a
blanket around his mate's lower body and hiding his nudity from view. "I'm glad
you're staying."
"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Levi," Hanji said with
excitement, glasses glinting in the fading sunlight. "Would you rather carry
Eren, or the baby? Does she have a name?"
"Mm, don't get used to it," he muttered gruffly before he looked between the
bundle of his baby girl and his mate. "I'll take him. I'll trust you to keep
her safe," he said after several moments of contemplation. He wanted to carry
them both, but knew there was no way he could do so comfortably, especially
considering the tiredness that lingered in his limbs as a result of days
fighting and muscles that had forgotten how to relax. He tenderly held out the
baby towards the woman. "I don't want to name her without his consent. When he
wakes up, we'll decide together."
"Sounds agreeable. But let me just recommend... Hanji Zoe Jr. is a great name,"
the beta suggested as she took the little bundle. She looked down at the baby,
cooing and giggling. This was the only hope they'd had for a long time.
"Tch, I don't think the world is ready for another Hanji Zoe. One is more than
enough," the alpha scoffed, though there was a smile lingering on his lips as
he moved to lift his sleeping mate into his arms, cradling Eren against his
chest, one arm curled around his back and the other supporting his bent knees.
He lifted him gently, careful to keep the blanket tucked closely around the
exhausted boy before he and Hanji made their way from the forested area.
"How did Eren even manage to get into his Titan form and find us? Did he say?"
Hanji questioned as they began walking.
Levi shook his head. "He could barely talk when I got him out of it. He was
already in labour," he replied. He had an idea of what could have happened
considering what Erwin had led him to believe, but they would have to wait
until the omega regained consciousness and was ready to explain in order to
know for certain what had taken place before he had managed to arrive at the
battlefield.
"I can't believe you delivered the baby. I never would've thought you'd be so
good at it," Hanji snorted. "You and Eren sure are one helluva power couple."
"Tch, as if I had a choice. I had no fucking clue what I was doing," he
grumbled coarsely. "I'm grateful that I had a general idea and that my
instincts didn't fail me or him. I thought he was going to die."
"Well he didn't die because you did everything you could to save him," said
Hanji. "You did a good job, Levi."
The alpha huffed an exhale, trying to deny the warmth that spread through him
at her statement. Pride flared in his chest in place of his lingering
insecurity. He had not failed Eren or their baby.
"I can't imagine if you weren't with him for the birth," mused Hanji. "Anyway-
- Did you get squeamish at all?" She asked, grinning, fully aware of his
general distaste for anything messy.
He glanced sidelong at the beta before shaking his head, "No... I didn't even
think about what I was doing; I just knew he needed me to do it. It was
disgusting, wasn't it?" He asked as though he'd only just realized what he had
actually been covered in only a short time ago. He should be revolted, but he
wasn't; it had been necessary.
Hanji chuckled. "Yeah, it is pretty gross. But I suppose if it's your mate and
your baby, it's not as disgusting," she said thoughtfully. "Smooth sailing,
though? Overall?"
"Overall, yes," he paused and looked down at Eren's peaceful face, "He was so
terrified and in so much pain and I couldn't do anything to make it better for
him. It shouldn't have been like that. I doubt he's ever going to want to
experience it again."
"It won't be like that next time," Hanji assured him. "After seeing her, I'm
sure he'll want another one. You both will, some day. But I'm sorry things went
like that," Hanji said sincerely. "I looked for you as fast as I could."
Levi tilted his head, "We'll see. We can't even have sex yet," he admitted
quietly, not looking away from Eren's sleeping face. After a few seconds, he
glanced at the woman briefly, "It's not your fault. It was unexpected. If
there's a next time, you won't have to look for us."
"Ah, unless you want to deliver the next baby, too," Hanji said. "You wouldn't
want it to feel left out. And you and Eren will have sex again eventually,
Levi. Erwin is dead, most of the military police are dead. He won't be scared
of them anymore."
"I don't know if my heart could handle doing it a second time. I felt like it
was going to explode out of my damn chest," he complained idly before his eyes
darkened with the mention of the blonde alpha and the MP bastards, "I don't
know about that. I guess we'll see. I'm not about to pressure him again."
"I'm sure you two will be much too busy to have sex for a while anyway. Levi,
don't worry about it right now," she said. "It's something you and Eren can
talk about further down the road."
"You're probably right," he agreed quietly before he let silence fill the space
between them. He'd rather not think about it. They would likely get married in
a few months, once things had settled down and their baby was a little older.
Maybe they'd talk about it then, maybe not. It didn't even matter. He had no
intention of ever doing anything to the precious boy he was holding if Eren
didn't ask him to.
Hanji cleared her throat, unsure what else to say. "I bet he... Feels lighter
now, huh?"
"Hm?" he intoned as she dragged him back from his thoughts, "Oh yeah. Funny
that... She's so tiny and weighs barely anything yet he was damn heavy when she
was still inside him," he continued once her words had actually registered in
his head and his lips twitched as if he wanted to smile, glancing fondly at the
baby in Hanji's hold for a few seconds before his gaze was drawn back to her
mother curled in his own arms.
"I'm sure the afterbirth and all those fluids added a lot of weight," said
Hanji. "Plus, he seemed to have lost quite a fair amount of blood."
Levi wrinkled his nose and nodded, "True. He'll be back to normal soon though,
hopefully. Now that his abilities seem to be working again."
"So I guess the pregnancy was why his abilities weren't working, huh?" She
said, scratching her chin. The baby in her free arm whined, beginning to fuss
and squirm. "Somebody's hungry..."
"Mmn, so it seems," he agreed before his gaze snapped to the baby when she
began to fuss, a somewhat panicked look falling across his features. "Do we
have the means to feed her?" he asked, immediately concerned that they had not
been prepared for the infant.
"Eren does. We'll just have to wait until he wakes up so he can feed her, or I
guess if you'd rather she not wait, then we can just have her feed while Eren's
asleep. I'm not sure if that would be a violation of his privacy, though," she
informed him lightly.
The alpha stared at her for a moment before he looked at the still unconscious
boy in his arms. He knew his mate would not want to make their baby wait if she
was hungry. "He wouldn't want her to be hungry just because he was asleep," he
said after a second or two of quiet contemplation. His pace slowed and he
adjusted his grip on his mate, uncertain as to how to go about what she'd
suggested.
"Then we'll have to stop, or we can wait until we reach shelter." Hanji looked
up just as a flare entered the sky from not too far away. "Either one is fine.
I just want to get out of here before dark."
"Whatever you think is best. It's probably better if we do it here before the
others are around," he said, doubting how comfortable his mate would be with a
nosy audience.
"Ah--" Hanji immediately understood Levi's worries. "Of course. We'll just make
a quick stop, then. And... You won't really have to worry about privacy
wherever we stay. There aren't many of us left, and we all agreed to leave you
and Eren space," said Hanji. "Mikasa and a few others went back inside the
walls to get the remaining scouts, like Arlert and whoever else wants to come."
"Alright," he agreed quickly, halting his movements and looking to the woman,
unsure how exactly to hold Eren so that she could help the baby feed. He
shifted his weight anxiously.
"Here, sit down on the ground and hold him up," Hanji instructed, helping Levi
sit down and cradle the sleeping omega. Hanji knelt down, placing the bundled
baby against Eren's chest, maneuvering her to help her find the boy's nipple.
Levi watched, fascinated as the baby girl latched on to the omega's nipple and
soft suckling sounds filled the air around them. Tiny hands curled against
Eren's chest and the alpha wasn't even aware he was smiling.
"I wish Eren could see this," Hanji sighed, "Well, he will soon enough."
The alpha hummed his agreement, simply watching until his daughter had had her
fill and stopped sucking, apparently already lulled back into sleep. He brushed
reverent fingertips over the wispy curls of her hair, awed adoration in his
mercury depths and he sighed. He didn't protest when the beta woman pulled the
infant away and burped her, rocking her and patting her back lightly. He wanted
to be the one doing it, but he had Eren in his arms and gave his mate a little
squeeze as if to let him know that everything was alright in the conscious
world.
"We should be to the shelter soon. The flare came from the east," said Hanji.
"Only a bit longer to walk, I know you must be tired. We all are."
The raven made a noncommittal sound of acknowledgement. He couldn't feel the
soreness yet, numb from exhaustion and the fading adrenaline rush.
When they finally made it to the camp that had been roughly set up, the other
survivors gave warm greetings and curious looks at the infant, though they kept
their distance. Levi could only give nods in response, entirely too drained for
anything more than that. He wasn't even close to in the mood for small talk.
He let Hanji lead the way to the shelter that had been prepared for he and Eren
and of course little baby Ackerman and once he had Eren comfortably changed
into fresh pajamas and tucked in, he took their daughter from Hanji, bid her
goodnight and settled in for the night himself. He nestled the newborn against
his chest, crooned to her when she fussed until she fell asleep again and
finally, finally went to sleep himself, one arm wrapped loosely over his mate's
waist with their baby girl tucked against him in between their bodies safely.
It was early morning, maybe four o'clock in the predawn hours before the omega
had finally begun to wake up. The sun wasn't even up yet. He blinked open his
eyes, feeling the warmth of his mate against him. He realized he was woken by a
whining and slight crying, which immediately prompted him to start cooing and
stroking the little baby, even exhausted as he was. He didn't even register the
baby was his for a few minutes. He froze, eyes widening.
Levi was a little slower waking to the baby's fussing, exhausted silver depths
fluttering half open, murky and slow to realize what had woken him even as a
low husky croon rumbled from his chest, instincts apparently quicker to wake
than his tired mind.
He shifted carefully and blinked when he felt the brush of another hand against
his own when he moved to adjust the tiny infant squirming against his chest,
searching for nourishment the alpha could not supply. "Hey, baby," he cooed
breathily, raising his hand to brush soft knuckles over Eren's cheek, meeting
the frozen eyes of his mate, "I think she's hungry. You alright?"
"I'm fine, just tired," Eren whispered in response, giving a soft smile. "How
long have I been out?" He questioned, rubbing at his eyes.
"Hmm, maybe twelve to fourteen hours. Depends what time it is now. You want to
try feeding her?" The alpha answered before pulling his lethargic body into a
half sitting position with the little girl cradled in the crook of one arm, her
tiny head resting in his palm as she squirmed and made little whimpering half
cries as if too lazy or tired to wail. Levi looked down at her fondly, brushing
the fingers of his other hand over her hair, "We should probably name her
before Hanji goes around telling everyone we've named her after that lunatic."
Eren smile flourished and he nodded. He sat up a bit, opening his arms to let
Levi gently place the bundle down. He cooed, smiling adoringly at his baby. "A
little girl, huh? What do you think we should name her?"
Levi watched his mate holding their first child and was struck by the echo of
an image he had first imagined what seemed like a lifetime ago. He was smiling
again and shifted closer, wrapping an arm around Eren's back and resting his
chin on the omega's shoulder, peering down at the tiny girl. "What do you think
of Isabella?"
"Isabella... It's pretty," said Eren, shrugging. "Rose would be pretty, too.
Why Isabella, though?" Eren questioned. He knew Levi had a reason; the alpha
wouldn't just pick a name because it was pretty, which was the reason Eren had
considered Rose. He'd thought about suggesting Carla, but it would bring back
too many memories.
“It's a mix of the names of women that were important in our lives. Isabel and
your mother, Eren. I thought it might be nice to memorialize them that way,"
Levi answered, voice quiet and he dropped a sweet kiss to Eren's shoulder.
Eren looked over at his thoughtful alpha, tears in his eyes. "Th-Then it's
perfect," he whispered. "Levi, it's so perfect..." He looked down at the little
one, pulling up his pajama shirt so she could search for his nipple.
The raven smiled gently and hummed, "I thought you'd like it." He turned his
head a little to nose behind Eren's ear affectionately as the soft suckling
noises rose around them. He watched a tiny hand wave in the air and reached his
other hand over to brush a fingertip over the petite fist, the little digits
uncurling only to clamp down around it and hang on with a surprising amount of
strength for such a small thing. His chest warmed and felt tight, as if there
wasn't enough space inside it. He adored her.
"I love it. I love her," Eren whispered, pushing away a few strands of
chocolate brown hair from his daughter's forehead. "So much hair," he said
adoringly, "And those eyes... They're perfect." Eren was tearing up. He
laughed, sniffling and wiping at his eyes with his free hand.
"I love her too. She's perfect..." The alpha agreed, rubbing his chin on Eren's
shoulder, "And I love you, Eren. You've given me everything. Now that she's
born, we can plan our wedding."
Eren smiled. "You still want to marry me even though I still look kind of
pregnant?" Eren laughed, using his pointer finger to stroke Isabella's cheek.
"It'll be the first wedding outside the walls in hundreds of years." His bright
smile broadened as he looked at the other man. Eren truly hoped they could get
married near the ocean.
"Baby, I would want to marry you even if you were still enormous. Hanji wants
to be the one to marry us. I think maybe in a few months, once we've found a
place to live permanently out here, maybe by the sea, like you want. When
Isabella is a little older, we can make it official. Everyone will come, you
know," the alpha said quietly, smiling back at his mate while still resting his
chin on Eren's shoulder. "You still sure you wanna marry a grouchy old man like
me?"
Eren hummed. “I suppose, though you’ll be using a cane soon,” teased Eren. “We
can get married on your fiftieth birthday. When is that? In a year?” Eren
joked, back to his same sarcastic self. “I suppose the baby weight will be gone
in a few months, anyway.”
The older male squeezed Eren's other side in retaliation of the brat's
cheekiness. "You asking for this old man to kick your ass, brat? I'll tell you
something, that cane's gonna sting like a bitch when I put you over my knee and
redden your ass with it," he threatened, though there was humour in his voice
and his hand soothed up and down the soft curve of the shifter's still somewhat
plump side.
“You can’t say that in front of the baby!” Eren squeaked in protest, “Do you
want her to become some kind of a sadist?”
Levi chuckled and nipped at the skin of Eren's shoulder, where the collar of
his shirt had slid down to reveal a tantalizing little swath of flesh, "That'd
be fine. I can hold you down while she administers the punishment," he joked
lightly, silver eyes alight with mirth.
“You’re gross,” said Eren, wrinkling his nose cutely. “Think of a different
family activity. Something normal, like, I don’t know, hiking? I don’t think
sexual torture is a good form of family bonding.” He straightened Isabella once
she stopped suckling, holding her upright against his chest and bouncing her a
bit, patting her back. He was such a natural mother; it was weird.
"Hey, you're the one that made it dirty. There's nothing perverse about
disciplining unruly brats," Levi grumbled close to the omega's ear, "Though I
may be persuaded to change my mind if you start asking me to spank you." His
low chuckle rumbled from his chest huskily, breath stirring against the
dampened skin of the boy's exposed shoulder, watching him burp their daughter.
“Nobody is getting spanked until our daughter is far enough away to not be able
to hear it,” assured Eren, pulling down his shirt to cover his exposed chest
before he settled Isabella back in his arms to be cradled.
Levi gave his mate a wicked, teasing smirk, raising the hand from Eren's side
to ruffle the back of already tousled locks. "I'm sure I can come up with a way
to do it quietly. Just give me a little time, baby," he murmured, nosing back
behind his mate's ear again affectionately, rather enjoying the repertoire they
were currently bantering. It was nice to be able to joke again.
Eren couldn’t help the stupid little smile that crossed his lips when the man
called him baby. “We have a baby,” Eren said, though that was obvious. For
god’s sake, he was holding the baby right there. “I can’t believe we’re outside
the walls… And we have a baby.”
"Mhmm, we have a future, love," Levi breathed softly against the side of his
mate's neck, his nose still buried behind the boy's ear. The hand in his hair
trailed to rub the pads of his fingers and thumb along Eren's nape. "We're
free."
“Are we, though?” Eren questioned quietly. “I’m... The last Titan. You don’t
think... You don’t think some people have a problem with that?” He whispered.
It was well known that even of those in the scouts who'd helped them, some
didn’t approve of Eren’s existence.
"There's hardly anyone left to fight us, Eren. Most of the corps wants to stay
outside the walls, especially since Erwin is dead; the ones that don't have
already returned to the walls and the MP, whatever is left of them, is going to
have their hands full with the public's reaction to the news that the Titans
have finally been defeated. If they even bother looking for us, it won't be for
months and no one that stays out here with us is going to let them haul you
away, especially me. And that's if they can even find us. Most of those lazy
shits don't even know how to read a map. We can finally relax, love," the alpha
assured, still massaging the back of Eren's neck, trying to sooth the lingering
tenseness there.
“I suppose,” Eren whispered, looking down at his hand, which was gently
stroking Isabella’s hair. “My ring,” Eren said quietly when he saw it. “How
did... How did you get this back?”
"Erwin," the alpha said simply, leaning away from Eren a bit to dig in the
satchel he'd been given by Hanji and pulled out the now blood stained book of
fairy tales and offered it to his mate before he pressed back into his side
again, unwilling to give up the comfort of contact with his fiancé. They'd been
apart far too long.
Eren’s fingers danced along the bloodstained pages a bit sadly. It was such a
beautiful book, now unnecessarily ruined. Though, some of the fairy tales were
still legible. “You killed him?” Eren asked, though it seemed evident. He could
only guess what Levi did after he found out Erwin had these things. “Please,
tell me everything...”
Levi wet his lips and released a heavy exhale, laying his unoccupied hand over
Eren's on the ruined pages. "He told me you were dead. He used the ring and the
book as proof and taunted me. I lost myself... I was careless. I believed
him... I thought they'd finally succeeded in destroying everything I held
precious. I was willing to die, but I was going to be sure to take him with
me," he paused, rubbing his thumb over the shifter's knuckles, gaze unfocused
as he watched their baby sigh in her sleep, content curled in the crook of
Eren's other arm, "He almost took me out, but you... Your Titan appeared. I
could hear you even before I saw you. He was distracted. And I have no issue
fighting dirty. There's no honour between monsters. While his attention was on
you, I stabbed him with the broken blade I was carrying. He was already dying,
but he decided he didn't want to go alone. He figured he'd drag me along, but
you didn't allow it. Do you remember?"
“No,” Eren whispered honestly. “I don’t… I don’t really remember anything. I
thought I was dead for a while, I… The last thing I remember was the blade
coming down on my neck when I was being executed, then I remember waking up in
pain, but I was with you, and... I barely even remember giving birth,” the
omega admitted hoarsely. “What did I do?”
The raven worried his bottom lip between his teeth a moment, uncertain how to
feel about the revelation that Eren had barely survived execution. It had been
such a close call. He squeezed the boy against him a moment, silently grateful
that even though it had been close, they were all safe.
"You... Bit his head off, literally," the alpha finally said after several long
moments of silent contemplation.
Eren ran a hand through his hair, letting out a shaky breath. "I bit... Off...
His head," Eren mirrored Levi's words. "I..." He wasn't sure how to feel about
that. He knew he was supposed to feel bad for killing someone, but... He
didn't. He didn't feel bad at all.
"He deserved it. You saved my life, Eren," Levi said, not an ounce of regret in
his voice. The commander had deserved every bit of his pitiful death. And it
seemed only right that Eren had been the one to finish him off, considering all
he had done to the omega. Erwin had always underestimated Eren and it had cost
him his life in the end. If he'd have learned to leave well enough alone, he
might still have been breathing, but the other alpha had always been arrogant.
The raven laid his cheek on Eren's shoulder again, nuzzling lightly, soothed
and soothing in the contact. "He won't ever be able to hurt us again."
"A-Armin... Is Armin okay? He got Armin too," Eren said worriedly when he
remembered. "Where is he? Did he hurt him?"
"Armin's alright. Mikasa went to retrieve him. They should be back in a few
days at the most," Levi assured, his scent rolling off of him in calming waves.
Everything had worked out. It was still too soon for the idea of freedom to set
in, but it was true; they were no longer inside the walls, no longer trapped
and afraid. They would finally be able to live the future they'd dreamed of.
Eren stared ahead in complete shock. "Everyone's... Alright? Armin, Mikasa,
Hanji?" He whispered in relief. "I can't remember seeing them, I don't remember
much of the birth until after she came out."
Levi let out a breath, "They're all alive, maybe a little worse for wear, but
alive, nonetheless. None of them were there when you had Isabella. It was just
you and I, baby," he spoke in a quiet, easy tone, tentatively answering all the
shifter's questions, voiced and unvoiced.
"You're right... You did deliver her," Eren whispered. "I remember that..." He
looked down at the little sleeping baby. "I can't believe it."
“Neither can I, but she's here and and she's healthy," the alpha stated,
pressing a soft kiss to Eren's temple. "And you didn't break my hand," he added
as an afterthought.
Eren smiled. "I'm surprised... It hurt like hell, I can remember that much,"
said Eren. "I didn't think it would be that bad."
"It should have been more comfortable, but we didn't have the time to move
somewhere better equipped. She wasn't willing to wait for Hanji," the alpha
replied, looking at their little daughter fondly in spite of his following
words. "Impatient little brat, just like her mother."
Eren laughed. "I'm pretty sure I was in labour from the time I was taken; it
had to have been hours..."
"Mmn, makes sense, you seemed distressed even in your Titan form," Levi said,
remembering the way Eren had been stumbling around and the odd sounds that had
been coming out of his Titan's form when he'd finally shown up on the field.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there, baby."
"It's alright," Eren whispered. "I found you and you were there for me when I
gave birth to our baby. That's all that matters."
"You did. You are amazing," Levi said, quiet reverence in his voice as he
spoke. Eren had accomplished something that was nothing short of miraculous. To
have shifted, escaped his own execution and made it to the battlefield in time
to save his alpha's life all while in the throes of labour was indeed amazing.
"I'm not," Eren laughed bashfully. "I just did what I could for our family.
It'll never be enough to match all that you've done."
"Tch, whatever, brat. I somehow don't think I would be able to accomplish
something quite like that, no matter how strong I am," Levi disagreed, rubbing
his neck against the shifter's, idly scenting him as they leaned into one
another.
"Whatever, you've rescued me... What is it now, four times? Five?" He asked,
resting his head against Levi's as he closed his eyes in contentment.
"Who's counting, brat? It's not a contest," he grouched as he pulled Eren in
closer against his side, "All that matters is that we're both here, we're safe,
our baby girl is healthy and here with us and the future is looking fucking
bright."
Eren couldn't help how he smiled. "I want our own little house," he whispered.
"By the ocean. Then we'll be even."
Levi snorted, breath stirring against the omega's neck, "It's already in the
works, brat." He shifted to settle back into their makeshift bed, tugging Eren
with him, slow so that his mate wouldn't lose grip on their sleeping baby. "I
told you before, I'll give you anything you ask for, baby. If you want stars,
I'll find a way to bring them to you; it's a promise."
"I already have everything I could ask for," Eren breathed, "This is
everything... Everything I ever could have wanted. You've given me everything."
The alpha glanced down and took Eren's hand in his, rubbing a thumb over the
ring on his finger. "I guess I did, even the stars," he breathed as the pad of
his thumb passed over the tiny jade star. He blinked to focus his eyes once
again and slipped his arm around the shifter's waist, pressing his body against
the length of Eren's. "You've given me the same, baby. You've given me things I
didn't even know I needed."
"All I know that I need now is you and our baby. You're all I need," Eren
whispered sincerely.
Levi hummed contentedly, the sound vibrating low in his chest as he cradled his
mate against him, resting his palm on Isabella's back tenderly, smiling when
she sighed in her sleep, a little wrinkle forming between her almost invisible
brows. "You're all I need too. I love you, the both of you."
Eren opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by someone outside.
 
***** Hearts in Hand *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
“Levi? Levi, are they awake?” Hanji whisper-yelled from outside.
Levi groaned and attempted to bury his face against Eren's neck. "Go 'way
shitty glasses," he demanded, voice muffled against Eren's skin.
Hanji took that as an invitation to come right in. "Look at you three!" She
squealed in excitement and awe, and Eren giggled, beaming with a sort of
profound, satisfying sense of pride.
The raven grumbled, turning his head just enough to glare at her from one
cracked, silver eye. "What do you want, shitty glasses?" He rolled his gaze to
his giggling mate and gave him a little squeeze around the waist, "Don't
encourage her, brat; she'll never leave."
“I wanted to see how you peas in a pod are doing,” Hanji explained.
“We’re doing just fine,” Eren assured the woman, smiling warmly.
"We'd be better without inconsiderate visitors that let themselves in at the
ass crack of dawn," the alpha mumbled under his breath, though there was no
real anger in the words, more teasing than anything else.
“How’s everything? How you healing down there, mama?” Hanji questioned,
completely ignoring the alpha's grumbling.
“Good, I think,” Eren replied, “Barely hurts, just a little sting. I’m mostly
just tired.”
Levi hummed, closing his eyes as he listened to the scientist question his mate
and he curled around the other male comfortably, hand idly stroking along
Eren's side.
Hanji nodded emphatically, "That's good, that's good. And how's the little
angel doing? Did you name her yet? Has she been fed again yet?"
“Just fed her,” Eren said softly. “She eats just as much as her daddy.” Eren
smiled down at the little one he was rocking. “Isabella,” he said, finger
running across her tiny button nose. “Her name is Isabella.”
Levi grunted at the rib, but didn't argue. He didn't eat that much. Besides, he
was an alpha; his metabolism was fast and required a lot of nourishment to be
kept up with.
Hanji's grin was wide and bright, lighting up her whole face, "That's adorable!
Did you pick that out, Eren?"
“No, actually; Levi did,” Eren responded fondly. “It has a lot of meaning, too.
You want to tell her?” Eren asked his alpha.
"No, you can. I'm too tired to put up with her lunacy this early," Levi
murmured roughly against Eren's neck, lips brushing lightly against the skin,
his eyes staying firmly shut. His exhaustion was still very much unsated, limbs
lazy and lethargic, though he was listening to the conversation around him; he
just had no desire to participate in it any further.
Hanji leaned forward a bit, obviously interested, eyes alight with curiosity,
"Ooh, ooh, yes please, I want to know."
“My mother was named Carla, and someone very close to Levi was Isabel, though
I’m sure you already know that. Isabella is a pretty mix of the two,” said
Eren, “It means a lot to me that Levi picked out her name.”
Hanji's grin softened a little, "Aw, of course it does. It's perfect for such a
precious little angel. Levi's just a big softie on the inside, isn't he?" she
replied, clapping one hand on the alpha's shoulder affectionately.
"Piss off, glasses," the alpha grumped, but Hanji only laughed next to him.
"Ah, this isn't the only reason I'm here this morning." Hanji paused,
continuing when Levi grunted what she took as encouragement to continue, "Some
of the soldiers I sent out yesterday have returned. They found that house you
were talking about and when they had a look around, guess what they found?" She
didn't even wait for an answer before she continued exuberantly, "There's an
old path through that forested bit we never ended up exploring that leads to
this huge expanse of water. Guess what it is?" She asked as Levi grumbled, not
bothering to voice his thoughts so the scientist turned back to Eren, brows
raised.
“Wh-What? What did they find?” Eren asked desperately, excitement in his voice,
though he knew what it was already.
Hanji's smile broadened again, feeding off the boy's obvious excitement, "It's
the ocean! Who knew it was so close all this time. We didn't even realize it
before, too busy to notice the scent of salt on the air. And there is a
settlement a little further down east of the house too. It'll be perfect."
Levi smiled against Eren's neck in response to the information, but didn't say
anything, tightening his arm around his mate a little. Eren was going to love
it.
Eren laughed, covering his mouth in disbelief. "I-I want to go! I want to go
now!" He yelled excitedly.
Isabella whined and scrunched her face, shifting restlessly against her mother
as the loudness of his excitement filtered into her tiny sleeping head. Levi
soothed her with his hand and lifted his own head from where he'd had it buried
against the boy's throat.
"Not so loud, brat," he warned, though there was a smile in the corner of his
mouth, "We'll go."
"Let's go now, we have to go now," Eren whispered desperately.
Levi's eyes rolled skyward and he let out a long, suffering sigh, plotting
vengeance on the shitty scientist for having told his mate such a thing so
fucking early in the damn morning and when he was so fucking tired still. He
closed his eyes for a minute and inhaled a deep, calming breath, gathering all
the energy he could muster.
"Alright, baby, we'll go now, but we have to get dressed and eat and pack some
supplies first." He gave Hanji a pointed look as he finished and she grimaced,
but nodded. She would get everything ready for the trip; it was only fair
considering it was her stupid mouth that had caused the whole damn situation.
He sat up fully and rifled through the satchel next to him, pulling out fresh
clothing for the both of them and a little sleeper that he had no idea where or
why Hanji had had it with her in the first place, but didn't bother to
question, as well as a small thick cotton cloth that would serve as a diaper
for their baby girl, a few fastening pins, another swaddling blanket and a
square length of light cloth. He stood to dress, accepting Isabella from his
mate once he'd finished so the boy could get ready as well before their first
adventure dressing the little girl would begin. Hanji had let herself out,
whooping with excitement, having every intention of accompanying the couple to
the home that they would claim as their own.
Eren forced himself to stand up and get dressed, despite the lingering soreness
he faced. He wanted to see the ocean so badly, he could be missing his arms and
legs and he'd still want to go right away. After the omega got dressed, in his
own clothes for once, he and Levi worked together to dress their squirmy baby
girl.
Once she was dressed after what should not have taken so fucking long and was
happily feeding again after the ordeal, Levi shook out the large square of
material and held it up, looking it over a moment before apparently deciding
that the light lavender colour was to his liking, folded it appropriately to
form a large rectangle and glanced at Eren.
"She done eating yet?" he questioned, absently smoothing the folded fabric in
his hands.
"Almost," Eren said, and just then, Isabella let go of Eren's nipple with a
soft popping sound, letting out a whine as milk dribbled down her chin, which
Eren quickly wiped away with a thumb as he cooed softly at her.
Levi shook his head, a soft smile playing on his lips as his grey blue eyes
watched his mate interacting with their baby girl. "You know what this is for,
brat?" he asked, holding the material in his hands up.
"No," Eren said, eyeing the fabric with interest. "What's it for?" He
questioned the alpha curiously.
"Hm, it's a sling so that we can hold her hands free," he explained idly. The
way Hanji had described it, it would be a damn lifesaver. According to the
beta, it was comfortable and could be worn on the chest or back, the baby held
safe within it's confines, and allow them to go about their daily lives without
having to keep a hold of her in their arms.
"Are you sure it'll hold her good?" Eren asked nervously, "I don't want her
getting hurt..."
"Hanji said she's less likely to fall from it than from our arms," the alpha
assured as he stepped over to Eren and draped the material over his chest and
shoulders as Hanji had showed him, knotting the ends snugly around the back of
the boy's neck and waist, then holding the pouch of the material open, "She
sits in here right against your heart. It should be comfortable this way since
we'll be riding double."
"Alright," Eren agreed, helping the alpha to get Isabella settled snugly
against his chest in the pouch. It was nice, and she seemed content. And Eren
could still wrap his arms around her.
Levi smiled, wrapping his arms around Eren's waist beneath the pouch and rested
his chin on the boy's shoulder to peek inside where their daughter was nestled
contentedly, little fists curled into the fabric of Eren's shirt tightly. His
smile broadened, rubbing his palms lightly along his mate's waist. "She sure
looks damn comfortable in there. How is it for you?"
“It's nice, I feel close to her," he said, smiling down at their baby. "It
feels like she's safe inside me again."
The alpha nodded against Eren's shoulder. "It's perfect, then. When she's
bigger, we can get another one," he suggested, pleased that he'd decided to
accept the item when Hanji had offered and suffered through her tutorial on how
to use the damn thing. "Ready to go see the ocean, baby?"
Eren smiled brightly. "Of course I'm ready. I've never been more ready," he
assured his mate before turning around to press their lips together
enthusiastically.
Levi hummed into the kiss, boxing Isabella in between them as he palmed at his
mate's hips. He pulled back slowly and smiled that tiny little grin of his,
bending to pick up the satchel and he slung it over one broad shoulder,
reaching back for Eren's hand. "Let's go, then. You'll want to see it before
nightfall, yeah?"
===============================================================================
They reached the ocean just as the sun began to set. It was... The most
beautiful thing Eren had ever seen. The waves were crashing on the shore
roughly, but gracefully. He could hear the birds and see them flying along the
horizon, and he didn't hesitate to quickly take Isabella and the baby carrier
off his body, hastily handing her to Levi before the omega was running toward
the water. He didn't even take off his clothes as he ran in, immediately going
under in the crashing waves, feeling the cool water seemingly absorb him.
Levi held their startled baby firmly against his chest, crooning quietly to her
and rocking her rhythmically, his silver eyes distant and warm watching his
mate. He was seeing the most beautiful thing he could think of since Isabella
had been born just yesterday. Eren in the crystalline water, laughing and
smiling was breathtaking. He was carefree unlike Levi had seen him in months.
He didn't carry any shadows in the setting sun that reflected in the water and
in the matching green eyes of the boy within as Eren grinned back at his mate
and the beta woman waving exuberantly next to him.
Eren pushed his wet hair out of his face, laughing as another wave knocked him
over. "Its cold!" He yelled, not at all deterred by the apparent chill.
Levi shook his head. Of course it was cold; autumn was already setting in, the
nights much cooler than they had been. But he didn't yell back, only just
having managed to get Isabella back to sleep. He was still swaying and humming
under his breath. He just wanted to watch Eren, not tease him or upset him,
just watch him.
Eren eventually dragged himself out of the water, running up onto the shore
while he shivered.
"You're crazy!" Hanji cackled, immediately rushing over to the omega with a
towel to begin furiously rubbing him dry against his will.
Levi just watched without any sympathy as the beta went to town drying off the
boy, smirking a little and hiding it against Isabella's head, pressing his lips
against her downy curls. He was glad they'd made sure to bring towels with
them.
Hanji had rubbed the towel over Eren until he turned red. And yet, he was still
freezing. And now his hair was just really frizzy. "C'mon, let's get you
inside," she suggested.
The alpha waited until the duo approached and turned to lead the way back to
what would be their home, bouncing their baby girl in his hold and patting her
back absently.
The house was large, weathered, but in surprisingly good condition. Aside from
new windows to replace the broken ones, a new door and roof, it needed cleaning
and a few other odd repairs and modernization, but that was all manageable.
The stone of the house was smooth with age and there were large willow trees
settled to each side of it with gardens that were long overgrown with fragrant
wildflowers surrounding its foundation. Inside was the same, stone and wood
that would need replacing, but with large open rooms, lots of windows to let
light in, a stone staircase that lead up to the one large bedroom and two
moderately smaller ones. The rooms on the main floor were spacious and there
was one small one that had likely been a bathroom once. The floors were cobbled
stone and the walls and the ceilings were reinforced lacquered wood that had
held up for hundreds of years and would likely hold up for a hundred more. The
yard was sprawling, the path to the beach just passed the treeline a few
hundred feet from the structure. Levi had liked the layout of the space when
he'd first been there and hoped Eren would also like it, even though he was
sure the boy would be sold over the proximity to the ocean he'd been dreaming
of seeing for most of his life.
"Oh, Levi," Eren whispered in awe once they entered the house, his shivering
immediately halting. "Levi, this is beautiful..." He ran his hand up and down
one of the smooth cobblestone walls, feet shuffling across the dusty floors as
he took in the spacious home.
"You like it? It's going to need some work and it's filthy, but it's sturdy and
spacious," the alpha said, wandering through the dusty rooms, watching his mate
as much as possible, proud that his omega liked the home he'd chosen for their
family. "There's even enough room for a nursery and spare bedroom upstairs."
"It's so perfect," Eren whispered. "I can't wait to get working on it. We'll
get Isabella's room ready first, then the spare bedroom can be a nursery for
our next baby. Though, where will we put the third one...? We may have to build
an add on," said Eren thoughtfully.
Levi choked on his breath, blinking wide eyes at the boy. Three...? When he
managed to regain control over his respiratory functions, he rubbed the back of
his neck, "I'm fairly certain we'll have time to build an add on before we have
a third, considering we'd have to have the second first. Speaking of which, I
don't recall being a part of this decision. If I didn't know better, I'd think
you only wanted me for breeding," the alpha said casually, though he couldn't
hide the sparkling of his eyes at the prospect of adding more to their family.
He already loved Isabella so much; surely he'd love all their future children
just as much.
"Possibly," said Eren idly, unfazed. "I mean, look at what we've already made.
We can't not make more," he said, shaking his head as if it was a ludicrous
idea to not have more children now that they'd had their first.
"Oh, Eren. You may want to wait a while, after all, you haven't experienced all
of motherhood yet. Having a baby is hard," Hanji explained. "I know Isabella
has slept a lot today, but sometimes... Babies can be assholes."
Levi shook his head at the boy and reached to pull him against his side,
uncaring of the dampness from Eren's clothes that seeped into his own and
giving him a squeeze, holding Isabella in the crook of his other arm.
"Don't scare him, shitty glasses. Even if they're troublesome, they're worth
it," he scolded the beta, giving his mate a sidelong look. He'd give the boy as
few or as many children as Eren decided he wanted, and he'd be damn sure to be
there to help raise every one of them.
"I'm sure they are worth it if every one of them turns out as cute as
Isabella," said Hanji. Eren wrapped his arms around Levi, leaning into the man
and smiling proudly.
"Are you implying that any of our children wouldn't be just as perfect?" the
alpha asked, narrowing his eyes at the woman before his gaze shifted to his
mate and he gave the boy another squeeze, reveling in the feel of the boy's
arms around him.
"I can't feel my legs," Eren whispered to the older man. "Is the ocean supposed
to do that?" He chuckled giddily.
"I don't think it's the ocean, Eren. I think you're just really happy, baby,"
he whispered back, turning his head to plant a kiss to the boy's collar bone.
"I think he's just really cold," Hanji chuckled.
"I'm more happy than I am cold," Eren breathed. "I never thought... I never
thought I could have a life this good."
Levi hummed and rubbed his nose against the base of Eren's neck, "Better get
used to it, love; it's only going to get better. Mm, Hanji's right, though,
you're chilly. You should change before Isabella decides she's hungry," he
suggested quietly, rubbing the hand on Eren's other side up and down his
shoulder. He could feel how cool the boy's skin was under the still damp fabric
of his clothing. "Grab the bag and follow me; I'll show you our room."
Eren took the bag and followed Levi up the cobblestone staircase that led to
the upper floor rooms, and Levi led them to the biggest. The window was broken
and it was a bit dusty inside, but it seemed to be in relatively good
condition.
The window of their room took up a large portion of space on the far wall and
faced the ocean, the water just barely visible over the trees as the sun
filtered in through the windowless opening, catching on the dust particles
their feet stirred up into the air.
"With all the stone, we're going to have to buy rugs or the kids are going to
hurt their knees when they're crawling," Levi said absently, looking out the
window while he rocked Isabella unconsciously. "Get changed so we can go have
dinner and make camp for the night." He seemed to come back from his thoughts
as he spoke again and glanced at Eren over his shoulder.
Eren nodded. "Yes to both. Rugs, definitely," he agreed. He wandered off into a
different room with the backpack, returning a few minutes later wearing a bit
warmer clothes, which were at least dry.
===============================================================================
It took several months before the house was fully refinished, having done most
of the work themselves with the help of friends and family on occasion and
assisted finishing other houses in return. In that time, people had changed;
peace had settled outside the walls even though civil war waged within them
still. Crops had been planted, hunting was a regular pastime, as was fishing in
the clear ocean waters; no one went hungry outside the walls and the settlement
became alive again, filled with people after hundreds of years.
***
Levi was waiting on the beach, large billowing canopies set up overhead to
shade him and the guests that were gathered for the wedding that had been in
the works for months, an event that was widely looked forward to. It was late
spring; Isabella was nearly a year old already and it was amazing how quickly
the time had passed. It was finally time for the couple to officially be wed.
Hanji stood next to Levi beneath the main canopy, where the alpha shifted his
bare feet in the sand, nervous, though he really had no reason to be. He was
wearing dark slacks, a crisp white shirt and black silk vest, no tie and no
shoes because it was warm and the sand would be a pain if he'd worn boots. He
looked up when the first soft strains of music began and Armin came from the
forest path with Isabella in his arms. The blonde omega set her down on her
feet when they entered the canopied path and held her tiny hand as she walked
clumsily next to him, eyes wide as she looked around at all the people, bright
and smiling. Her curly, dark chocolate hair was pulled into tiny pigtails that
bounced with every step and she wore a little white dress with soft lavender
flowers patterned over the light fabric, frills beneath the skirt fluffing out
the bottom of the dress adorably and showing off the frilly lace knickers
beneath. She made an excited squealing sound when she saw her father at the end
and attempted to run to him.
Armin tried to keep a hold of her, but she was too quick, escaping the young
blonde's hold and stumbling over the sand towards the dark-haired alpha. Levi
couldn't help but chuckle, crouching down and opening his arms to her, catching
her and scooping her up when she reached him. He kissed her cheek and cooed to
her as a frazzled Armin came forward to collect her from her father. She
refused to cooperate, ignoring the coaxing of her uncle entirely, one small
hand spread on the side of Levi's face while she turned her own gaze back
towards the path and pointed excitedly with her other hand, drawing Levi's
attention to the sight that caught his breath in his throat and made his heart
quicken. Eren was beautiful as he made his way on Mikasa's arm from the tree
lined path to the beach where his alpha and daughter awaited him.
Eren could hear his own heart beating, quick and loud inside his eardrums. He
didn't expect so many people to show up. It was still a small wedding, but
nearly fifty or so people had gathered around to watch the event.
Even, too, was barefoot, though, his feet were covered by the lace ends of his
dress, which dragged in the sand slightly as he walked. His dress was long and
cream coloured, made of a light fabric that was almost like silk, but much more
airy given the temperature. The sleeves were long as well, puffy, yet simple.
Every inch of his dress waved and fluttered in the ocean breeze, and it made
him feel like he was some kind of princess. He saw the alpha standing just
twenty feet away, an unexpected visitor squirming in his arms, which made Eren
smile and helped him ease his nervousness as Mikasa led the way to the rest of
his family. As soon as Eren had gotten close enough, Isabella began reaching
for the small bouquet of daisies and spring daffodils that was held in Eren's
hands. He didn't hesitate to pull one out of the bouquet, tucking it behind her
ear before he gave her forehead a kiss, his eyes locking with Levi's as he
smiled shyly.
Levi's gaze met the omega's and his lips twitched into a warm smile, his silver
eyes bright with heat and love as he looked at his mate in the beautiful gown.
He hadn't known what Eren would be wearing; the boy had been adamant that his
alpha be kept in the dark about his wedding apparel, as was tradition, and the
older male had given him his way. Isabella giggled and babbled when Eren tucked
the flower behind her ear, immediately reaching to touch at it with curious
little fingers. While she was distracted, he was able to hand her off to Armin.
The blonde omega remained standing to the side of the couple with Mikasa, and
Isabella seemed content to remain a part of the main event, cooing and babbling
happily in her uncle's hold now that she had been able to see both of her
parents. Levi reached for Eren's hands and held them in his own subtly
trembling ones as Hanji clasped hers in front of her chest and grinned broadly.
"Alright, folks, let's get this show on the road so we can get to the good
stuff," she said brightly, loud enough for all the guests to hear and a few
chuckles sounded from the gathered group. Levi released an almost inaudible
sigh, but his smile didn't waver and he stared into Eren's eyes.
The beta began immediately after, talking about the hardships and flourishing
of love in the face of adversity, all sorts of romantic nonsense before she
finally got to the vows, turning to ask for Eren's first before Levi would give
his own.
Eren knew he would be going first, but that didn't stop the omega from
trembling as he pulled a crumpled up paper from his dress sleeve. He cleared
his throat not once, but twice before he could finally manage to speak. "Levi,"
he began, teeth worrying his bottom lip. "I know that we've been through a lot,
and the fact that you've stuck with me through it all means more to me than I
can even express." His voice was shaking as he read over the messy words on the
paper. "None of what has happened to us had been planned. Not our relationship,
not Isabella, not the way this all ended. None of it... But I... I couldn't say
that I'm not glad all of it happened. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but
without you and Isabella in my life, I don't know what I'd do. I never thought
I would live long enough to have a beach wedding, especially a wedding where
I'm marrying the best man in the world." Eren wiped at his eyes, taking a shaky
breath. "You didn't only save my life, but you've made it worth living. And the
only way it'll stay that way is if you're with me for the rest of it. Will you
be there for the rest of my life? Please," Eren whispered at the end.
Levi squeezed the hand held in his, head tilted a little as he watched the
shaking boy speak his vows. The alpha wet his lips and inhaled a soft, deep
breath, prepared to reply with his own when Hanji gestured for him to do so.
He swallowed before opening his mouth, voice like silk, thick with emotion, but
smooth and unwavering, "Eren, you never have to ask me to stay; you are my
heart and I can't live without you. I've spent half a lifetime becoming numb
and now I'll spend the rest remembering how to live because of you. You've
given me everything I never knew I needed and I'll never be able to give it up,
not for the world. You and our family are the future and I can't bear to miss a
single moment of it. I'll spend the rest of my days loving you, raising our
children, laughing and living... With you. It's always been you. It always will
be. You've given me the best titles I could ever ask for, mate, father, and now
husband. I'd be honoured if you give me the title of forever."
Eren tried his best to keep in his tears, but he couldn't help the way he cried
at the man's words. Isabella made worried noises, squirming in Armin's grasp as
she caught sight of her mother crying.
There wasn't a dry eye on the whole beach; not even Hanji could contain her
emotions, wiping at her eyes and sniffling as she spoke. "The rings, if you
please."
Mikasa stepped forward to offer the matching silver bands, similar in design to
the first Levi had presented to Eren. Levi took the one that belonged to the
omega; It was specially designed to fit with the other that had served as the
boy's engagement ring, the band sculpted into hands that held a crown in the
middle, fitting on top of the heart that was the main part of the original
ring.
He was crooning quietly to settle the squirming baby in Armin's arms even
though his gaze remained on his teary-eyed mate as he held his hand in one of
his own and slipped the ring to its rightful place with his other, then he
offered Eren his own hand in return to accept the band that had been made for
him.
The band for Levi was much simpler than Eren's. It was plan silver, a typical
wedding band, though the inside of the ring was inscribed with every date
important to them. The date of Eren's heat when they had first conceived
Isabella, the date they found out Eren was pregnant, the date on which Isabella
was born, and now, of course, the date of their wedding. Eren had made sure to
leave room for many more dates to come as well. He smiled, letting out a
breathy laugh as he slipped the ring on Levi's finger before intertwining their
fingers again. He couldn't believe this was finally happening.
The alpha gave the hand in his a squeeze, his smile matching his mate's as
Hanji said a few more words before finally, "Alright, you boys can swap spit
now," said with a bright grin and an obnoxious thumbs up that had the alpha
rolling his eyes, but chuckling as he pulled Eren in, his unoccupied hand
cupping the side of the omega's face, fingertips threading through the hair
behind his ear as he pressed his lips to Eren's, eyes closing.
Eren's arms found their way around Levi's neck, holding onto the alpha tightly
as they kissed. He didn't even care about the people cheering or the fact that
the tide had come in and they were suddenly soaked up to their shins. Hanji had
squeaked and run away from the water, as did Armin and quite a few others, but
Eren and Levi couldn't care less about anything except each other right then.
Levi hummed encouragingly and slid his arms around Eren's waist, squeezing him
tightly and deepening the kiss. The water was cold, but he didn't feel it. Eren
was so warm and he was reluctant to let him go again. Everything was perfect.
The were cat calls and whistles and loud squeals from their daughter,
attempting to join in and get their attention. Levi smiled against the omega's
lips and without warning, abruptly scooped the much lighter boy up into his
arms bridal style, chuckling breathily into the broken kiss.
Eren gasped in surprise, fingers twisting into the back of Levi's shirt. His
hand came up to cup Levi's cheek as they broke the kiss, their foreheads
pressing together. "So, are we officially on our honeymoon?" He whispered with
a bright grin.
"As soon as we get rid of all the vultures that want to eat free food and drink
all our booze," the alpha replied, kissing the corner of Eren's mouth, "Mm, we
could just take Isabella and lock ourselves inside until they all get bored and
go home, if you'd like." He smirked a little deviously and turned on his heel,
surprisingly graceful even in the unsteady sand as he carried his mate away
from the rising tide and towards the path back to their home.
"I don't think Isabella should be there for our honeymoon," Eren whispered, one
finger dragging down Levi's cheek and jawline as he looked at the man
seriously, a hint of lust in his sparkling green eyes.
The alpha's eyes went wide and he swallowed, very nearly stumbling in response
to the omega's words. Was the boy serious? It had been so long... Not that Levi
complained. He hadn't pressured Eren at all and it hadn't been hard to let all
their responsibilities distract him, the house and the baby, rebuilding,
planning the wedding; it had all made it easy for him to ignore his desires.
He'd been content just holding his mate, cuddling and sharing affectionate
touches. There had been some massages and they'd bathed together with Isabella,
but nothing more intimate than that.
"A-Are you sure?" he stuttered hoarsely, feeling his stomach roll with a sudden
warmth and anticipation, widened mercury darkening with want in response to the
thread of lust in the glittering sea green of his mate's eyes.
Eren gave a nod. "I think I'm ready now," he whispered to the man, face moving
to press into Levi's neck. Of course, no matter how happy they'd been these
past few months, the traumas they'd experienced had never really gone away.
There were still times where Eren struggled to look in the mirror; there were
still times where he woke up screaming in terror, and there were still times
where he wondered if Levi would ever touch him again. He wondered if he would
be able to let Levi touch him. Ever since they'd tried the last time, which was
nearly a year ago, Eren had suffered a complete panic attack whenever they had
become remotely intimate in such a manner. But he was ready now. It was his
wedding day; he wasn't about to let the things of the past ruin this for either
of them. He wanted this; he needed this.
Levi shuddered as the boy pressed his face into his neck and nodded, unable to
speak, suddenly nervous. It had been so very long since they'd been intimate in
such a manner and he'd been certain it wouldn't happen until Eren ended up in
heat again once Isabella was fully weaned at a year old, and he'd not been
particularly looking forward to it because he felt as if it would be taking
advantage of his mate.
He rubbed his cheek against the crown of Eren's head and continued his trek
towards their home, surprised when the group all seemed to be preparing to
leave already.
Hanji bounced up to them rather quickly. "We're having the reception down at my
place so you won't have to worry about the mess. Thought it would be a nice
wedding surprise, but you know, if you two are too tired to join us, that's
fine, too. You can pick up all your gifts tomorrow, not before noon, though,"
She said with a wink and a knowing grin, patting the alpha's shoulder
encouragingly. "Mikasa and Armin offered to take Issy for the night too, so you
can get plenty of rest or uhh, whatever you'd like.. with no interruptions from
adorable munchkins."
Levi blinked and blinked again. This was a set up; it had to be... Things were
falling into place so smoothly and he felt heat rising up the back of his neck
at the realization that probably all of their friends and family had been
involved in the planning of this and God knew, the beta woman was likely the
mastermind behind the whole thing, though looking at Eren, he knew the omega
had to have agreed to it as well.
Eren pulled away from Levi's neck enough to give Hanji a nod. "Thank you," he
said sincerely. He turned to Armin, who was holding Isabella still. He reached
out to cup Isabella's cheek. "Mummy and daddy will pick you up in the morning
after you have a fun sleep over with Armin and Mikasa, okay?" He asked her,
tickling under her chin.
The little girl scrunched up her forehead in a rather familiar expression and
pursed her tiny lips. "No." she argued. "No, mama." Levi hid his smile against
his mate's neck as their daughter refused to simply accept what her mother was
suggesting. She hadn't spent more than a few hours away from either of them at
any one time since she'd been born. A whole night would be new for all of them,
but it was probably a good thing. She was getting older, old enough to be away
for the night and they did want her to be independent; Levi wouldn't stand for
a tantrum every time she had to separate from them in the future. This would be
a good test.
She didn't have the best vocabulary yet, mostly just a few words, 'No' being of
the first she had begun saying along with 'mama', 'daddy', 'Jiji' (Hanji), and
a number of other butchered, but entirely cute versions of others' names, as
well as foods she liked.
She grasped at the omega's fingers as he tickled beneath her chin, holding onto
them tightly and shaking her head vehemently. Armin was giggling and Mikasa hid
her own smile behind one hand.
"I know," Eren laughed. "I know, this is hard for me, too. But you know what? I
bet you uncle Armin and auntie Mikasa will play with you lots, and you know who
makes good cookies? Uncle Armin. I bet he'd make some for you, hm?" He
suggested.
"Coogie," Isabella stated with a bit of excitement, still grasping her mother's
fingers.
Levi chuckled against the skin of Eren's neck, pressing his lips there a moment
before he turned to assist his mate in persuading their daughter. He trailed
his fingers over the back of the little hand, balancing his mate in his arms as
he did. "Mhm, Bella, you like cookies. You'll be a good girl and let daddy have
mama for one night, won't you?" he cooed quietly, affection in his tone as he
spoke to their tiny daughter. She scrunched her face again as if considering it
for several long seconds. "One," she finally agreed. Well, at least she was
willing to give Eren to him for one evening with the promise of cookies from
her uncle; he didn't want to know what it would cost him when he wanted more
time later.
Eren smiled, fixing Isabella's pigtails before he planted a kiss on each of her
cheeks. The kid only had one tooth, she didn't really eat cookies. She just
liked to suck on them and make a mess... Eren gave Armin an apologetic look,
but the blonde just shrugged and smiled. He would make a good mother some day.
"Be good. Give daddy a kiss," Eren said softly.
Levi leaned forward so that he and Eren were both within their daughter's
reach, grimacing just the slightest when a wet, open-mouthed kiss was placed
sloppily against his cheek. He placed a much cleaner kiss to their daughter's
forehead in return, "Love you, princess, you be good for your aunt and uncle."
Isabella giggled and threw her head back, almost as though she was trying to
throw herself backwards out of Armin's arms just for fun.
"Bye bye, love you," Eren said, waving to Isabella, and she waved back as Armin
carried her off
Levi kept an eye on them as they left before he was nuzzling into Eren's neck
again, inhaling deeply. The other guests had already headed out, following a
shouting Hanji to her house for the real party, leaving the couple intimately
alone at their home for the first time in as long as they'd lived there.
***** Home is Where Your Heart Rests *****
Chapter Summary
     ...
Levi pulled back enough to make his way up to the house, opening the door with
one hand and carrying his mate across the threshold, kicking the door closed
behind them before he finally set the boy back on his feet, though he didn't
let go of his waist, pulling the omega against him and pressing affectionate
kisses to his collarbones and neck, humming appreciatively and whispering
against the damp flesh beneath his lips, "I love you..."
Eren hummed, closing his eyes as Levi’s lips found his neck. “I love you too,”
he whispered.
The alpha smoothed his hands up and down Eren's sides, palms sliding warmly
over the silky material of the dress he wore. "You look beautiful brat," he
murmured, nipping lightly at the sharp edge of his mate's collarbone. "Are you
really sure you want to try again?"
Eren blushed. “Thank you,” he whispered. “And… Of course I want to try again.
I”m ready now, Levi. I’m really ready,” he whispered.
"Alright," it came out in a choked whisper as the alpha palmed at Eren's hips
through the material of the dress and walked backwards, pulling the omega with
him and leading him up the stairs at a tortuously slow pace, peeling his vest
and shirt off along the way and leaving the articles wherever they fell,
uncaring about the disarray. He had to stop a few times along the way to pull
Eren into another impassioned kiss or to rub against his neck and scent him
intently, eager and excited to have his mate in such a way that he had more or
less given up on ever having again.
Eren accepted every kiss and scented the man back each time he rubbed their
necks together. Once in the bedroom, it was only seconds before they fell to
the bed, Eren on top of Levi as he kissed the alpha intently, panting against
his lips as he felt the first spark of arousal he’d felt in a long time.
Levi's hands roamed along Eren's body as he moaned lowly into the omega's
mouth, heated breaths mingling, arousal spiking heavily in his scent, his cock
already half hard and eagerly growing harder as the first threads of his mate's
arousal curled into the air to mix with his own.
"Help me get my dress off?" Eren breathed against Levi's lips, hands massaging
at the man's nape affectionately.
The older male hummed and his hands trailed up Eren's back, nimbly unbuttoning
and unzipping the gown at the back before helping to slide it off the boy's
shoulders and arms, the soft fabric pooling at his hips. Levi's hands greedily
petted and groped at the revealed flesh, up Eren's sides and over his chest,
thumbing over sensitive nipples lightly.
Eren shuddered, hands curling into his dress as he sucked his bottom lip in
between his teeth and held back a moan. He'd almost forgotten how good it felt
to be touched like this.
Levi watched Eren's expression as he ran his hands over him, his hips rolling
up of their own accord. He skimmed one hand up to the back of the omega's neck
and unbalanced him, yanking him down into another kiss, lips and tongue eagerly
pressing against his mate's mouth. It'd been too long since Eren had wanted him
like this; he was having a hard time trying to keep himself from rolling them
over and taking control, but he forced himself to remain as he was and let Eren
lead the activities.
“Mh--“ Eren let out a slightly muffled noise of surprise as Levi pulled him
down and connected their lips again, but Eren didn’t hesitate to kiss back. He
let Levi’s tongue explore his mouth before he playfully nipped at the older
male’s bottom lip, smirking as his hands slid down to begin unbuttoning Levi’s
pants.
The alpha hissed softly, erection throbbing eagerly at the feel of those tanned
fingers at the front of his trousers and his hips jerked a little. He panted
against Eren's mouth, unable to regulate his breathing, enjoying the assertive
nibbling at his lips and returned it tentatively in kind. "Eren..." He murmured
breathily, hands squeezing at the boy's hips, fingers spreading against the
dimples at his lower back and stroking with even pressure.
Eren let out a little moan, instinctively rolling his hips when Levi’s hands
stimulated the sensitive spots on his lower back. He panted, unable to help how
excited he was already, and Levi didn’t even have his pants off yet. It had
been too long. Eren felt like a virgin again; that’s how damn long it had been.
Nervous hands palmed at Levi’s pants, beginning to shakily ease them off.
Levi shifted and lifted his hips to allow his mate to peel his slacks off him,
lifting the boy on top of him with the motion. He rubbed at Eren's lower back,
massaging along his spine and tailbone tenderly, inhaling the scent of his
mate's rising arousal, his own answering in heady waves. He shuddered beneath
the omega, but didn't do more than murmur encouragement and continue his gentle
caressing, eyes half lidded, pupils blown wide and swimming with lust.
Eren calmed at Levi’s gentle touches, practically purring as the man rubbed his
back. He tucked his face in Levi’s neck, pressing gentle, but sloppy kisses
there as he began rutting his hips back and forth slowly.
The raven alpha turned his head to the side to give his mate better access to
his neck, moaning low and guttural as the boy kissed the sensitive column of
his throat, his grip on the omega's hips spasming as pleasure rushed through
him with every grinding rut of those hips against his own and he rocked up into
them in slow, rhythmic motions. It felt so good... His fingers danced beneath
the pooled fabric to touch the soft skin of Eren's hipbones, thumbing over them
lightly, fingers spreading along the silk covered cheeks of his rear ever so
gently.
“I-I want you,” Eren stammered breathlessly. “I want you so bad, Levi,” he
admitted to the man. He wasn’t scared this time; he didn’t feel threatened. All
he wanted right now was Levi; all he felt was pleasure.
"Mmn I want you too, baby... Fuck... You feel so good..." Levi replied, voice
rough with need as he thrust upwards, his cock straining against the confines
of his underwear that were riding low on his hips, but not enough for it to
spring free. He fingered along Eren's silky undergarments, distracted by the
feel of them in contrast to the soft skin. He turned his head to lick and bite
along the boy's neck possessively. "Missed this... You smell so good..."
“You smell good too,” Eren breathed, wetness soaking through his silky
underwear. He pulled them down and off, along with his dress, before he was
tugging impatiently at Levi’s as well, freeing the alpha's eager erection.
The alpha's breath hitched, but he didn't do anything aside from shift his hips
and hands to aide Eren in removing the rest of their clothing, groaning lowly
at the scent of slick that rose up around them. His hands settled back on his
mate's hips, thumbs stroking ticklishly at the crease where Eren's pelvis met
his thighs, hesitant to do anything bolder, considering what had happened the
last time. He rolled his hips up in a slow motion, tentative and subdued
against the boy's backside, unable to quell the urge entirely.
Eren took shaky breaths, shuddering as he closed his eyes, trying to keep
himself calm. “I want... You in-inside,” he whispered huskily.
Levi closed his eyes, swallowing hard and nodding his head vaguely in
affirmation. "Okay... Mmn... I don't... I think... Its been too long since we
last did this... You sure...? Maybe I should use my fingers first or something.
Don't wanna hurt you, baby..." He managed in a strained voice, desperately
wanting to be inside his mate, but refusing to cause him any unnecessary pain.
The omega shifted shyly, wetting his lips. “Maybe, a-alright,” he agreed. Even
though he’d healed after having Isabella, he was no doubt looser than he used
to be. But, it was better safe than sorry. If Eren had a tear or some kind of
panic attack on their wedding night, it would ruin everything.
The older man slid a hand down between the press of their hips, gentle
fingertips slipping beneath and between the slick cheeks. Levi growled another
groan at the feel of wetness there and rubbed the pad of his index finger over
the little pucker, fighting the instinct to simply thrust inside. "S'okay?" He
questioned, half lidded eyes watching Eren carefully.
The brunette had his eyes closed, furrowing his brows and breathing heavily
through his nose as he adjusted to the touch. He gave a shaky nod, lowering his
head so his forehead was pressed against Levi’s.
Levi worried his lip between his teeth, panting harshly through his nose,
greedily filling his lungs with the scent of Eren's arousal and only the
tiniest thread of apprehension. A low, husky croon vibrated through his heaving
chest as he pressed the teasing finger inside gently, pushing in until he
couldn't reach any further before stilling entirely for several seconds to let
his mate adjust before he wiggled it a little, rubbing lightly against the
silky slick walls.
“Gh-“ tanned fingers twisted into the sheets below them, sweat forming on
Eren's brow as he bit at his lips. “H-Levi,” he breathed between heady rushes
of oxygen.
At the call of his name, the alpha stilled his motions, uncertain a moment,
watching the omega avidly and he pressed up to kiss him again as he slid the
single finger out to the tip before sliding two back inside of him.
Eren let out a small cry against Levi’s mouth, arms flinging around his neck as
he clung to the man desperately, his loud panting mixed with moans filling the
room and bouncing off the stone walls, echoing encouragement.
Levi hummed raspy approval, burying his face against Eren's throat as the boy
clung to him, mouthing along his pulse and nipping over the scarred marking on
his collar as he slowly drug his fingers out and pushed back in a little more
forcefully, his other hand holding the omega's hip firmly, guiding him into the
still slow motions.
Eren released a slight whine from his throat, gently rolling his hips as Levi's
hand encouraged him. His fingers dug into Levi's nape, his breath hot against
Levi's neck
The alpha was sweating and achingly hard, but he was thoroughly enjoying making
Eren come undone with just his fingers. He hissed when nails bit at the back of
his neck, but didn't shy away, baring his throat to his mate in invitation as
Eren panted heatedly against the flesh. He curled his fingers and rubbed hard
against the little bundle that he had memorized from the very first time they'd
been together, massaging as best he could in the tight slickness while his
erection throbbed between the press of their bodies.
"Feel good, baby?" He breathed, a little smirk curling the corner of kiss
flushed lips, knowing already that the omega was thoroughly enjoying what he
was doing.
Eren gave an eager nod, a few more sounds of pleasure escaping his lips. “Feels
good,” he breathed, voice shaky with both arousal and a bit of nervousness.
Levi licked his lips, shifting beneath his mate as though it might alleviate
the thrumming ache under his own skin as he rocked his fingers in and out,
careful to be sure to rub against the boy's prostate teasingly with every
passing thrust, lewd squelching noises sounding between them. "Ready for more?"
He questioned as he teased a third finger at the loosened and drenched hole.
Eren gave a nod. It felt so good and he wanted so much more, but with each
movement, Eren was terrified this would become a repeat of last time. What if
he completely lost it and ruined their wedding night? “Nh-wait--”
Levi stilled completely under the boy, shaking a little with the effort, two
fingers still embedded deep inside Eren. He breathed harshly, but forced
himself to remain still, "It's okay... Need to stop?" He asked huskily,
prepared to do just that if Eren said so. His jaw twitched as he grit his teeth
against his own arousal and swallowed hard, hoping.
“N-no, I don’t know,” Eren stuttered. “I-I can’t… I can’t ruin this, I don’t
want to let myself ruin this.” Eren ran a hand through his hair. “What if we
keep going and I freak out and ruin our night? You’ll hate me,” Eren said with
shaky exasperation.
The alpha reached up with his other hand to brush soft knuckles along the side
of Eren's cheek, "Shh, baby,, that's never gonna happen... If you need to stop,
it's okay. I'm not going to be angry. But you know, I think you're more scared
of freaking out than you are of what is actually happening... Maybe we just
slow down for a bit, hm? You tell me what you want Eren," he murmured
soothingly, cupping the boy's cheek tenderly.
Eren pressed his cheek into Levi's hand, sighing as he did. Levi was right.
Eren was much more afraid of panicking and ruining this for Levi than he was of
the actual act. "A-alright," he whispered, nodding. The man's comforting
touches persuaded him. "Just keep going with your fingers, then... It felt
good," he whispered.
“Sure?” The raven questioned, giving the fingers still buried in his mate an
experimental wiggle, watching the boy on top of him carefully. Levi was
emitting protective, soothing scents along with arousal and he crooned low and
husky in his throat, attempting to relax his mate again as much as possible.
"Nh-h--" The omega let out a little moan, biting bis bottom lip. "Y-yeah," he
breathed, "It feels good."
Levi gave a singular nod and slipped his fingers nearly all the way out before
plunging them in again, repeating the motion several times before he slid a
third finger inside along with the other two, twisting his wrist a bit to work
the slippery digits into the tight heat, gently stretching and filling the boy
with slow rhythmic motions. He groaned at the feeling, unable to quell the
sound.
Eren let out breathy moans, eyes closing as he let the alpha pleasure him, not
allowing himself to get nervous. He knew Levi would accept him no matter what.
"Mmn, Eren..." The alpha called breathily, attempting to gain the boy's
attention. "Can I... Wanna taste you," he murmured huskily. He'd never had the
chance before, but he'd wanted to and since the boy wasn't ready for anything
more invasive yet, the raven figured it might be a good time to explore. If he
could get Eren to the point that he was mindless with pleasure, perhaps he
would forget his apprehension entirely.
The brunette froze up a moment, but nodded. His cheeks turned red with
embarrassment as he slid off the older man, laying himself on his back with his
legs open in invitation. He was so nervous and embarrassed, Levi had never
tasted him like this before, but... He wanted him to.
Levi sat up when Eren slid off of him and sprawled on his back. He licked his
lips, hungry gaze devouring the vision his mate presented, one hand reaching to
caress one smooth inner thigh with his fingertips reverently, barely ghosting
over the soft skin.
He slid down on the bed, shifting with deliberately slow movements, keeping his
eyes locked with Eren's as he hovered between his spread legs. Both hands
trailed along soft thighs and groped at slim, vaguely curved hips, massaging
soothingly. He didn't break eye contact as he bent forward to trail the hot
flat of his tongue up the underside of the boy's erection.
Eren gasped, letting out a low moan as he fisted the sheets. Levi's hot tongue
was heaven on his cock, making the omega get butterflies in his stomach.
The alpha hummed appreciatively at the taste and the sound that came from his
mate and he repeated the slow drag of his tongue over the smooth, heated
surface of the boy's shaft, the tip of his dexterous tongue flickering at the
rounded head and lapping up the bitter sweetness of beaded precum there. He
shivered, pulling back to inhale a deep breath before he was dipping his head
forward again to swallow the straining member, careful of his teeth as he let
the throbbing flesh slide along his tongue and brush the back of his throat,
the alpha moaning low around it and panting through his nose.
One hand slipped down the curve of one unblemished thigh to press two fingers
back into the slippery orifice between slick cheeks, curving expertly to
massage at the boy's sweet spot while he applied light suction to the muscle in
his mouth.
"H-hah-!" Eren let himself cry out in unexpected pleasure, back arching up and
toes curling. "Oh-Levi--"
"Nnm," Levi murmured, the sound muffled by his full mouth and he stilled the
boy's hips with his other hand, slowly bobbing his head a couple times, the
scent of his mate's slick making him dizzy. It was heady with lust and made his
eyes droop half closed in bliss.
After several long moments, the alpha pulled back, letting the saliva
glistening member slip from his mouth with a soft pop, licking his reddened and
wet lips. He breathed heavily through his mouth for a few seconds, attempting
to catch his breath. He wanted to taste more, his instincts clambering and
pressuring him to go further. He shifted lower, having to break his gaze from
his mate, the top of his head visible between the spread legs as his clever
tongue slid along the seam of Eren's thigh, tasting the first vague sweetness
of slick and he was immediately addicted. The subtle taste wasn't enough...
He bent, pulling his fingers out halfway and pressing his tongue to the wet
hole, moaning gutturally at the rush of honeyed sweetness on his palate. He
lapped at the stretched little opening greedily, the tip of his tongue prodding
between his fingers and dipping inside.
Eren panted, tossing his head back and moaning, unable to keep in the noises.
"H-Levi-Levi!" He cried, hands moving down to curl into the man's hair of their
own accord.
The alpha hummed approval, the sound vibrating through his chest and up his
throat. The feel of Eren's fingers clenching in the long strands of his fringe
only encouraging him to continue, not that he had any intent to stop. He spread
his fingers, stretching the already loosened pucker and he pressed his tongue
inside as far as he could, growling ferally as he laved attention to the fleshy
walls, intently lapping up the rush of slick that came in reaction to his
ministrations.
It was messy; he could feel the slippery mingling of his own saliva and the
excess of sweet omega slick on his chin, but he did not have the capacity to
care. Eren tasted so good and the sounds he was making, the fingers tugging
almost painfully in his raven locks were too intoxicating to be bothered by the
mess.
Eren couldn’t help the broken moans and whines that escaped him. “God-god
please, so good,” the omega keened, pulling at Levi’s hair unconsciously.
Levi pulled his tongue free only to lick his lips and take another shaking deep
inhale before he thrust it back inside, repeating the motion several times
until Eren's hips were moving desperately to gain more of the intense feeling
inside him. There were lewd sucking sounds and the squelching of wet fingers
that rose from where the alpha was devouring his mate eagerly. He wanted to
push Eren further, make him beg for more, lose his mind to pleasure so that his
fear would be erased. Levi would do anything...
“Please fuck me,” Eren panted. “Please-gh-please,” he begged the alpha, hips
rolling rhythmically with Levi’s tongue. “I need-I need-“ the omega shook,
unable to fully voice what he needed from the man.
The older man pulled his tongue and fingers from within the writhing omega and
licked his lips, wiping his chin on the back of his arm, the smell of arousal
so thick, he could hardly breathe. He crawled up Eren's body and pressed his
face into his neck, nipping and sucking his way up to the boy's ear, heated
breath tickling against the flushed shell in panting puffs from between damp
lips. "It's not fucking, baby... I love you," he murmured huskily, voice
strained with his own need and the intense desire to make his mate understand
that it was so much more than fucking.
He slipped his hands to Eren's hips, tilting them upwards, his own shifting
forward, the leaking tip of his cock brushing teasingly at the well-lubed and
stretched entrance, prodding lightly, but not sinking inside right away.
Eren bit at his bottom lip, Levi’s tip pressed into his entrance and it made
the omega let out a shaky moan, his eyes closing lightly. “Mh-good, it’s good,”
Eren whispered, “Keep going.”
Levi groaned lowly against Eren's neck, lips and teeth pressing against the
scarred flesh roughly and he abruptly jerked his hips forward, sliding inside
of his mate with little resistance. He panted harshly, moaning deep in his
chest at the slick heat that sucked him in greedily and squeezed around his
throbbing length. He gripped at the soft golden skin of the omega's hips,
groping, fingertips digging into the fleshy globes of his ass as he pushed in
as far as he could.
The boy panted, mouth open wide as he hissed in pleasure, his fingers digging
into the pillow. “H-shit,” Eren breathed. “God, Levi--“
"Nn, okay?" the raven alpha questioned even though he didn't scent distress in
the fog of arousal coating the air. He pulled back from his mate's neck,
panting through parted, flushed lips and looking at Eren with half-lidded,
pleasure blown silver depths, hips shifting impatiently with the desire to
move, but he didn't thrust.
Eren nodded, opening his hazy eyes to look at Levi. “Yes,” he whispered. “Yes,
it’s perfect,” he panted.
Levi let out a low breathy moan of relief and his hips shifted back, only to
press forward again in a short, jerky thrust, repeating the motion again before
he pulled back further, almost to the tip before driving back in, hands sliding
up and down Eren's sides, palming at his hips and thighs. He pressed up to kiss
him, lapping at his mouth eagerly. "So good... God... Eren... Mmn, so perfect,"
he murmured against the boy's lips hoarsely.
The omega kissed the man back, whimpering against his lips as his hands came up
to desperately cup at Levi’s sweaty cheeks. He rolled his hips in time with
Levi’s thrusts, desperate moans escaping him in between heated kisses.
Levi slipped his hands beneath the small of Eren's back, supporting it as he
arched his mate into the thrusting motions of his hips, slow and rhythmic,
rocking in and out of the slick heat, but building momentum with each passing
until he was thrusting harshly into the boy beneath him, panting hard and
grunting breathily, kissing Eren's lips, chin, jaw and neck, down to his
clavicle, nibbling and marking him unconsciously, overwhelmed by the wholeness
he felt being inside his mate. It was like coming home...
"Eren... Eren," he breathed harshly over and over, fingers rubbing against the
sweaty flesh of the omega's lower back as he moved them together.
Eren couldn't even form words as the moans escaped his lips, his head lolling
back and forth as his blown pupils stared up at the ceiling. "I can't hold it
much longer--" he finally managed to choke out as he rolled his hips up harshly
against Levi's.
"Mmn, don't... Just let go, baby... I got you," the alpha huffed heatedly,
interrupted by guttural grunts as he thrust harder, angling his hips to hit the
omega's sweet spot with every inward push. He could feel his own climax
building in the bottom of his stomach, hot and coiled tightly, the swelling of
his knot already thickening at his base.
"Nnm, baby, I'm gonna have to pull out before I knot you... Can't... Help...
It..." he managed desperately. He should have known he would produce a knot; he
had every other time he'd been intimate with his mate, but he'd not thought to
expect it and he wasn't sure if Eren would appreciate it if he knotted him
without warning.
"Knot me-knot me--" Eren begged, gasping as he let out a sudden cry, his back
arching and vision blurring as his climax hit, his cum shooting up his soft
stomach and staining Levi's hard abs.
"Uhn, sh-shit... Eren," Levi groaned as he felt the boy seize up beneath him,
heat coating between the sweaty press of their stomachs and the tight channel
rippled around his cock, sucking him in greedily and desperately trying to hold
him inside and milk his own release from him. He shuddered, jaw clenching as he
thrust into the strangling heat erratically.
He buried his face in Eren's neck and bit down roughly on the already scarred
marking, unable to stop his instincts as he strained, muscles tensing as he
shoved into his mate one more time, pressing his knot inside the clenching
hole, guttural growling moans vibrating against the flesh between his teeth as
he came in hot waves, filling the boy beneath him and he shivered violently in
the aftermath.
Eren clawed at Levi's back, gasping for air as the man came inside him and bit
down on the sensitive flesh of his neck at the same time. "Hn-h--" Eren's eyes
rolled back a bit, legs wrapping tightly around Levi's waist and trembling
before they fell to the bed limply.
Levi's eyes were closed and he panted between apologetic kisses to the abused
flesh that was bruised and broken from where his teeth had been too harsh on
the boy's already scarred skin. He held Eren against him tightly, incredibly
elated to have succeeded in satisfying his mate without having the omega fall
into a panic.
He pulled back from Eren's neck reluctantly and opened dark lashes to look at
the boy trapped under him, "So beautiful... You're so beautiful, Eren..." He
was whispering as if the moment would shatter, should his voice rise any
higher, "I love you... I love you so much... You're the best thing that's ever
happened to me... Mine... Always..." He was hardly coherent of the words he was
breathing, blissed out and riding high on emotion that made his chest feel too
small to hold it in.
Eren felt his eyes grow teary and he forced them open to look up at the alpha.
"I love you so much," he whispered in return, voice breaking with sincerity.
"So much. I can't believe we're married. We're married..." His voice became
soft and he closed his eyes again.
Levi smiled a slow, gentle smile and ran his fingers through the boy's tangled
hair, "Yeah, baby, we got our forever," he murmured, voice still hoarse and
husky from sex and emotion. He laid his head on Eren's shoulder and just
breathed. They had their future and it was bright. There was a new world and it
was made for them.
The two slept soundly, more soundly than they'd possibly ever slept before. It
was amazing. After that, the nightmares Eren had been suffering ceased. He
wasn't afraid to look in the mirror anymore; he wasn't afraid of his past any
longer. He'd managed to conquer his fear and he and Levi could have their
future uninterrupted by the past. It was beautiful; their life was perfect.
===============================================================================
Everything was wonderful. That is, until Eren came down with a bad case of
assumed food poisoning. Though, something told him it wasn't exactly food
poisoning. And that something was Hanji. It was earlier than the first time and
his scent was not strong, especially since he often still smelled overly sweet
because of Isabella, but it was there.
Neither he, nor she could believe it. The first time he and Levi had had sex in
a year, and Eren was pregnant. He hadn't even been in heat. He had no clue how
to tell Levi...
He sat the man down in their kitchen, a steaming cup of tea in both of their
grasps. "We've got to get a second nursery ready," he said quietly, a slightly
nervous smile on his lips as he looked down at his cup of tea.
Levi hadn't been sure what to make of his mate's odd behaviour. He'd been so
worried when Eren had gotten sick and then the boy had sat him down at the
kitchen table as if he were about to tell him some sort of terrible news. He
had felt as if he was sitting on nails, his fingers tight on his warm teacup,
eyes on the contents to keep himself from fidgeting nervously.
His gaze shot up to Eren's face when the boy spoke, eyes wide and swimming with
confusion until realization finally sank in with the implication of Eren's
words. He was out of his chair so quickly, he knocked his cup over onto the
table, but didn't even seem to notice the mess he'd made as he moved to his
mate and pulled him into his arms, "Fuck... You had my fucking heart in my
throat, brat. I thought... I don't even know what I thought... But... How...
Are you sure you're...?" he stuttered breathlessly, heart beating like mad in
his chest, relief washing over him in euphoric waves. Were they really pregnant
again?
Eren let out a breathy laugh when Levi enveloped him into his arms, relief in
his voice. He had been so worried about what Levi would think, if Levi was
ready for another baby. “I’m sure,” he laughed, “I’m sure. Hanji made sure.
We’re having another baby, Levi.”
Levi let out a breathy chuckle of his own and nuzzled against the boy's neck,
"This one better not have you craving mushrooms and fucking cream again..." he
teased quietly, lips against the omega's soft skin. He placed affectionate
kisses there, nosing behind Eren's ear, entirely elated that there had been no
need for his concern. His mate was pregnant... Their family was growing again
and he couldn't possibly be happier. The future was fucking bright.
END.
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