Archive of Our Own

Eren yawned as he stepped into the dining hall. It was unusual for him to wake up so late in the night. If he wanted to kill the Titans, he had to stay alert, after all. So, what easier way to go back to sleep than a cup of milk?

Well, that had been Eren's plan. Drink some milk. Sleep like a baby. Then wake up fresh in the morning.

But it seems like the universe had other plans.

A dim light was formed on one of the dining tables, by one candle. Sat at the table were a group of cadets. A familiar group of cadets.

"You guys?" Eren walked over to the table where his friends sat. He took a seat next to Armin.

"Oh, hi Eren," Armin said happily.

"Eren," Mikasa said. "You're awake."

"Y-Yeah, but you guys are too! All of you! What're you doing so late at night?" Eren asked.

"Would you quiet down? We all just happened to be awake." Jean smirked smugly. "You worried we have a secret club that you weren't invited to or something?"

"Hah, you wish. Secret clubs are childish. Grow up, Jean."

Jean's smug look slowly turned into one of shock. "You're asking me to grow up?! You must be joking."

Eren stuck his tongue out. "Nope."

"You little-"

"Oi!" Connie rubbed his temples. "Can you two shut up for a minute? I'm trying to write a story."

Jean huffed, "Eren started it."

"Horse-face," Eren muttered.

Jean was about to explode when Armin grabbed his shoulder and whispered something into his ear. Jean's expression went from anger to disbelief to satisfied. "I see," he said, smiling.

That made Eren mad. What did Armin tell Jean that made him so calm all of a sudden? As much as Eren would like to know, something else caught his interest. Write a story. How could someone like Connie write a story?

"Hey, Connie. You said you were writing a story?"

"Yeah," Connie confirmed. "Sometimes Ymir and Christa would help with the romantic aspects of it."

"Me too!" Sasha exclaimed.

Connie sighed. "Sasha, having a 'romantic feast' every five minutes isn't romantic."

Sasha pouted. "It is to me."

"Anyways," Connie continued, "Reiner and Bertholdt are currently helping me with the sexual parts of the story."

Eren grinned. "You know, Connie, you could always ask me for help."

Connie laughed. "What do you know about sex and romance?"

"...More than Jean."

"Yeah, yeah." Connie rested his cheek on his hand. He smirked. "Also, this isn't your usual love story of a man and woman. It's a love story between a man and man."

Eren's brows shot up. "Oh?" It wasn't like Eren disapproved of homosexual people. He believed that everyone was free to like whoever they want. But for Connie to write a story like this, was... surprising.

The smirk on Connie's face widened. "The story's about the Commander and Captain."

Eren's mind went blank. "W-What?"

"I'm writing a love story about Commander Erwin and Captain Levi."

A love story. Commander Erwin. Captain Levi. "N-No! I must've heard wrongly." Eren smiled nervously. "You're joking, Connie. Haha, it makes sense. This is just a giant joke. Connie, you idiot goofball, show me the book so I can see for myself that you're joking."

"Fine. Just don't freak out or whatever." Connie handed his book to Eren.

Eren slowly read a paragraph as his mind tried to absorb each word. The more Eren read, the more his face turned to pure horror.

"Levi." Erwin said as he placed a hand on Levi's soft cheek. Levi leaned into Erwin's big, rough hands. He looked up into the Commander's blue eyes that reminded him so much of the sky. "I love you." Erwin says before leaning down to kiss Levi-

Eren shook his head furiously. "Connie, what kind of abomination..." He trailed of as an image of the Commander and Captain having sex slowly made it's way to his mind. A high pitched scream escaped Eren's mouth. "NOO! Why me?! Please-STOP!! Please..."

Jean rolled his eyes. "Eren, would you calm the fuck down?"

"Y-Yeah." Sasha's eyes darted around nervously. "If someone catches us so late in the night making a huge ruckus, who knows what'll happen? We'll probably be banned from the dining hall! Just the thought of that is enough to send shivers down my spine."

Ymir laughed. "I'm surprised you still have a spine after the amount of food you eat."

Christa jabbed Ymir in the ribs. "Hey, that's not nice. Eating is an important part of survival."

"But eating like Sasha can kill you," Mikasa said.

Eren was at a lost for words. "Guys! How- I can't believe... Food is the least of our problems right now! Is everyone missing the fact that Connie thinks the Commander... and Captain..."

"It's pretty obvious that they're... involved in specific activities." Armin grimaced. "It still weirds me out to think about it though. I mean, they are the Commander and Captain, after all."

Eren's mouth shot wide open. "Obvious?! OBVIOUS?! Can someone please explain to me how it's obvious?!"

"Well, for starters, you can't deny the strong bond and trust they have for each other." Reiner grinned. "Just like me and Bertholdt, right Bertholdt?"

Bertholdt nodded. "Yeah."

"Also, the soft looks they give each other," Christa said, smiling.

"Yup," Ymir agreed. "They look at each other like they're the only ones in the room. And, like they constantly want to fu-"

Christa kicked Ymir's leg under the table. "Ymir!"

"Besides that," Mikasa added, "Commander Erwin and Captain Levi always spend a lot of time together."

"Ahh, being the Commander of the Survey Corps must be a very difficult job. I'm sure Commander Erwin suffers a lot and goes through so much pain. Captain Levi too," Sasha said sadly. "So we should support and respect their decision."

Jean hesitatingly nodded. "As much as I'm uncomfortable with their relationship, I do believe that they deserve to be happy. Just like every human being."

"Well." Connie spread his arms apart in a presenting manner. "There you have it, Eren. I could add about a hundred more reasons, but, I would like to continue writing my story. So can I have my book back?"

Eren didn't realise that he still had Connie's book. He was clutching it tightly in his left hand. This cursed book, Eren thought, posseses a love story. Between my two childhood heroes. My superiors. The Commander and Captain. Impossible.

Armin was starting to get worried for Eren. He looked like he was about to blow a fuse. "Eren, it's understandable for you to react this way, but why don't you try to calm down and take some time to process this slowly."

Eren shook his head. "Don't you get it, Armin? Unless... Unless I have concrete proof, I can't believe this."

Connie sighed, "Whatever, Eren."

"Wait." Sasha squinted behind Connie. "Isn't that the Captain over there?"

"What?!" Eren asked.

The cadets all turned around to see a shadowy figure walking into the kitchen. Even though it was dark, the scowl on the figure could only belong to the one and only; Captain Levi.

Armin tilted his head. "What's the Captain doing, awake at such a late time?"

Connie whispered, "I think I might have an idea. Wink wink."

"Hohoho," Ymir said playfully.

Reiner raised his brows. "You don't mean..."

"Hoho, I do mean... wink wink," Connie confirmed.

"Ohohoho." The three of them shared knowing looks, wiggling their eyebrows.

Mikasa was very confused. "What do you mean 'wink wink'?"

"It's nothing," Jean said. "Don't let your mind be influenced by these three perverts."

Connie pulled down his lower eyelid and stuck his tongue out. "You're just as much of a pervert as we are, Jean. Do you know how many times we caught you fantasising about Mikasa?"

Jean blushed. "Shut up. I did not."

Out of nowhere, Eren stood up and slammed his hands on the table. He was tired with his weird, perverted friends. "Don't confuse your wild delusions with reality. I'll show you all that this is all just in your heads."

They didn't have to wait long until the Captain stepped out of the kitchen. The second he did, Eren immediately asked, "Captain Levi! W-What're you doing at this time of the night?"

Levi turned to look at Eren, his expression annoyed. "Erwin and I were doing paperwork but we got hungry, so I'm bringing something for us to eat."

Eren nodded his head understandingly. "Ah, I see. I'm assuming you're heading back to the Commander's office?"

"Yes."

Eren beamed, "Great! You get a good night's sleep, okay?"

"Mm." Levi started making his way out.

Satisfied, Eren turned to face his friends. "See, Captain Levi is just a hardworking Captain that stayed up late doing paperwork."

"Hmm..." Connie rubbed his chin, deep in thought. Then, he stood up abruptly.

"But Captain," Connie said, "The Commander's office is in the opposite direction."

Levi froze.

"The direction you're going... Doesn't it lead to Commander Erwin's room?"

Everyone went silent as they all thought of one thing; How idiotic could Connie be to ask such a suggestive question? It felt like centuries before the Captain finally gave his reply.

Levi turned around slowly. "You're right. Erwin and I decided to do the paperwork in his room because it was more comfortable."

"You also said you were bringing food, yes?"

Levi raised a brow. "What are you implying, Springer?"

Connie waved his hand dismissively. "Oh nothing. Only that..."

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you idiot!" Jean whispered harshly.

Eren shook Connie hard. "Connie, do you want to die tonight?!"

"Don't do it, Connie!" Armin screamed.

Connie ignored his friends' warnings as he continued talking, "...you don't have any food with you!"

"There's no going back now," Ymir muttered.

Connie gestured to the small bottle Levi was holding in his right hand. "You only have that small bottle. Actually, what is that?"

"Eh." Sasha narrowed her eyes. "That's a bottle of oil."

Reiner choked. "Oh shit."

Bertholdt hit Reiner's back repeatedly in hopes to stop his harsh coughing. Christa gave Reiner a cup of water. "Here, Reiner. Drink this."

Reiner took the cup and drank it's contents. "Thank you, Christa and Bertholdt."

"Why are you so worked up over a bottle of oil?" Mikasa asked.

Armin winced. "Trust me, Mikasa. You don't want to know."

Eren sat down and held his head in both of his hands. "No... a bottle of oil could mean anything."

Connie placed a hand on Eren's shoulder. "You can't deny the facts, Eren."

As Eren stared at Connie, he wondered how his simple intention that brought him to the dining hall in the first place, turned into this mess. I just want to drink my milk and go back to sleep.

Levi sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. "Can everyone just be quiet for a second." Erwin must be wondering what was taking Levi so long. And honestly, it was too late to deal with this but he had to diffuse this problem right now before the situation could get anymore out of hand. Who knows what crazy fantasies are going on inside these brats' minds.

"...Tch. The food is in my pockets. And this oil... I'm using it to stop the squeaky noises of Erwin's door." Levi hoped the cadets would believe him and leave him alone.

They didn't. Not even Eren.

Eren hesitated before he said, "C-Captain, you don't expect us to believe that, do you...?"

Levi glared. "Are you accusing me of lying, Eren?"

Eren immediately shook his head. "No! Of course not."

"Then is everything cleared?"

"Oi!" Connie whispered to Eren, "The Captain's acting oddly defensive. And what kind of weirdo, except Sasha, keeps food in their pockets? Ask him to show us the food."

Eren glared at Connie before giving Levi a nervous salute. "Yes, sir! Everything's cleared."

"Good." Levi turned to leave.

The cadets watched silently as the Captain made his way out. But before he disappeared behind a corner, Reiner called out to Levi, "Have fun having s- I mean, 'doing paperwork' with the Commander, Captain. Don't stay up too late!"

Eren's friends exploded into chaos.

"That was so inappropriate!"

"Reiner! Why would you say that?!"

Ymir cackled, "Bahaha, you're more stupid than Connie!"

"It was nice knowing you, Reiner."

"We could get into a lot of trouble for that, Reiner..."

Jean agreed, "Yeah. If we get stuck with cleaning duty for the whole day tomorrow, I will kill you before the Captain does."

As Reiner tried to defend himself from his friends' attacks, Armin said, "Um guys? I think Eren fainted."

"What, no way!" Sasha said with disbelief.

Connie examined Eren closely. "He fainted alright. He's out cold."

"I can't believe this suicidal bastard actually fainted," Jean said.

Christa smiled. "He looks really peaceful."

"Yeah," Connie groaned, "Nothing like the Eren that screams 24/7 about how he's gonna kill all the Titans."

"I think he just wanted to go to sleep this whole time." Mikasa gently caressed Eren's cheek. "I'm glad he finally got to."