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It was a good day. One where the sky was free of clouds, the brilliant blue expanse hovering above the world void of any blemishes that would otherwise blot out its brightness. That, of course, meant that the sun was shining, free to beam down on the earth with nothing to dull its rays. It made Eren all to aware that Levi was upset. It was so bright out, the heat boring into Eren’s tan skin as he climbed the stairs to their house to escape from the angry rays.
As an elemental magic user, the weather often reflected Levi’s mood. A fact that should have made Eren’s life easier at the beginning of their relationship--read: should. He had grown all too troubled when the sun had been shining, bright and happy with not a cloud in the sky on a day when Levi had seemed so pissed he’d nearly deep fried his cereal with just a look. At first he’d disregarded it as a fluke--after all, Levi had excellent control and Eren didn’t doubt that he had made certain that he could control his powers in most situations--but It had only gotten worse when they’d kissed and a pitter patter of rainfall had began to wet their heads. Terrified that he had done something wrong, Eren had backed away, stuttering and shaking with nerves that made his ears flatten at the top of his head and his tail bristle.
Levi had scowled at him in answer, a low flash of lightning lighting the sky before it was gone. It had taken some goading to get him to admit that his power’s were a little... off. In fact, Levi’s exact words had been something along the lines of “This is why you don’t drop your kids. Bad things happen. Like fucked up powers that make it rain when you’re happy.”
Eren had unhelpfully added “not to mention burn the skin off of your enemies when you’re angry.” Levi had laughed, and Eren would forever hold to that, no matter what the other magic user tried to claim.
“Levi?” He called, kicking off his shoes as the door closed behind him, blocking out the hot air of the outside. Peeking into the kitchen, Eren ducked back out when he saw no one, heading instead to the living room. His feet were quiet against the wooden floor as he roamed the house, checking first the bathroom, their bedroom, the spare room, and finally, Levi’s study. He tried not to go in there when he could, since Levi could get very irritated very fast if his things were moved or out of order even by accident. He also worked with a lot of dangerous and weird potions of which Eren wanted nothing to do with--not again. One week with rainbows dancing across his skin had been quite enough for him, thank you.
“Levi?” He asked again, hand outstretched and ready to throw up a shield at a moment's notice as he peeked into his lover’s study. He didn’t see anything, but then again, that wasn’t surprising. Most of the house was taken up by Levi’s study. He had bookshelves, lines of walls full of ingredients and an assortment of utensils ranging from cauldrons as big as himself to a rather terrifying pencil that could turn into a sword that both talked and would suck a person dry if given the chance. Eren had never questioned Levi’s sanity more than when he had sat at Levi’s desk only to hear a pencil dare him to come closer.
Walking past the thick line of book shelves the back room slid into view, bubbling cauldron and muttering witch and all.
“Found you,” Eren grinned triumphantly, more to get Levi’s attention than anything else. Levi had a tendency to immerse himself in his work, meaning that he often tuned everything else out until he was done. Eren wasn’t completely blameless for periods similar to that when working at the shelter but Levi was far worse. Animals slept eventually, reminding Eren to do the same, while Levi forgot both sleep and eating. It was one of the few reasons Eren ended up in his study more than he liked--one of the other’s being that he had a cozy corner near the bookshelves where he wrote about his discoveries or read. Levi hadn’t minded since it was one of the few times Eren was quiet while doing a task and gave him free reign to claim his own bookshelves. Eren had taken advantage of the offer to slide a cozy little couch right under the window where he could soak up the sun and take naps if he wanted to. The behavior had Levi teasing him about his wolf traits more often than not, wondering if perhaps they were both mishaps and nature had screwed up with him as well.
“I can’t talk right now,” Levi told him, eyes intent on the bubbling mass of… something in the cauldron. Eren wasn’t skilled in potion work so he couldn’t be sure what it was, but it didn’t look completely liquid and he was pretty sure there was an angry mouth somewhere in there.
“I can see that,” Eren observed, ears perking with interest.
Levi didn’t even spare him a glance--or maybe he couldn’t; that thing looked angry after all, especially when he pinched what looked like fairy dust on it. Muttering curses under his breath Levi reached for another jar with questionable contents. At his shoulder a leather bound journal floated, a ink pen furiously taking notes of the entire procedure as it took place.
“Are you creating a monster to terrorize the kelpies near the pond?” Eren asked, almost hopeful.
Levi snorted. “No.”
“Damn,” he sighed, shoulders slumping. Despite the dejected tone his tail wagged faintly behind him, undeterred by the bit of… something wrestling his lover for the spoon. “You want help?”
“No I’ve got--fucking hell would you stop that--I’ve got it.” Levi panted. Finally seeming to wrestle open the jar he’d grabbed previously, he pulled out a sticky white substance. Personally, Eren thought it looked like a mix of chewing gum and spider silk but what did he know? The monster thing seemed to like it anyways, snapping it up with a happy(???) gulp that had the hairs at the back of Eren’s neck rising. It settled down after that, releasing the spoon back to Levi’s grip and stopping its frantic sloshing/flailing in the pot.
“There,” Levi sighed, looking a mix between irritated and relieved. “Finally. Now behave.” He gave a whack to the side of the cauldron for good measure, to which the blob with a mouth merely gurgled at. Eren was officially creeped out.
“Tell me you didn’t just invent the next slime monster.”
Levi’s mouth quirked up into a small smile. “I didn’t just invent the next slime monster.”
Another gurgle sounded from the cauldron; Eren wasn’t convinced. “Of course you didn’t.”
The witch turned with a small shake of his head, setting the spoon he’d been using into a large bucket that seemed to be filled with shimmering water. A hand darted up out of the liquid to grab the handle before it could fully sink and Eren wasn’t even surprised. That was new, and he certainly wouldn’t be going near there with his tail. As if in agreement, said appendage pressed closer to his legs. “What time is it?” Levi called, beginning to clean up his scattered supplies.
“I’m actually not sure,” Eren admitted. “I think it’s past lunch though. Sidney went to bed around an hour ago.”
Levi smirked. “What are you going to do when that cat starts sleeping on a different schedule? You’ll never be able to tell time then.”
“Yes I will.” Eren defended, wounded at the lack of faith in that sentence. “Clocks still exist you know. I can read.”
“My apologies,” Levi remarked, giving a quick wave of his hand. It cut whatever strings that were holding up the floating journal and pen, and the witch gave a soft huff once he’d read what had recently been written. “For the last time! Our conversations don’t matter, you don’t have to write them down!” The pen gave a sad wiggle in answer, poking his shoulder with a little droop to its frame. Levi, imperious as ever to puppy eyes and pathetic pens alike, gave it a look that had it scurrying back to its desk. “Next time I’ll use the red one.”
“Can’t even control his own pens,” Eren grinned. “How sad.”
His eyes rolled. “Bite me.” Despite the tone, the words held no malice, and Eren simply laughed as he turned to the sink next to the bucket with the creepy hand. Watching him the werewolf couldn’t decide on whether or not the fact that he was washing not only his hands, but most of his arms as well, was adorable or slightly sexy. “Are you going back to the shelter tonight?”
“No, Annie said she’d take care of it. Besides, the full moon’s coming soon and I get--”
“--Restless.” Levi finished, earning another grin. “I know. I’ve been working on your potion.”
Grin gone, Eren stared in horror at the thing with the mouth in his lover’s cauldron. “I’ve been drinking that?”
Turning with a frown, Levi eyes widened with amusement when he noticed the direction of Eren’s gaze. “No, not that. That’s a warding spell for Erwin. He’s been having trouble with some of the fey.”
“And your solution was to give him something that would eat them?”
He smirked, drying his hands on a towel and discarding his robes as he walked towards the werewolf. “It won’t eat them. Swallow them on the other hand…” At Eren’s disgusted look he laughed, tension ebbing from his shoulders. “They’ll survive, don’t worry. And it won’t attack just anything so you’re safe.”
The soft blub the thing gave seemed to say otherwise, though… “Hello,” Eren murmured, gazing down at Levi as he twined his arms around his neck, a hand sliding into his hair.
Smirk smoothing out into a small smile, Levi tugged him down, brushing a kiss to his mouth. “Hello.”
“Missed you,” Eren admitted, shivering as the witch’s fingers grazed the tip of one of his ears.
“No you didn’t,” Levi chuckled. “You were too busy playing with animals.”
“Well you were inventing the next slime monster so I don’t want to hear it,” Eren defended, pouting slightly. The look didn’t last long.
Smiling against his mouth Levi took his bottom lip in between his teeth, tugging gently. “It’s not a slime monster, Eren. It’s a guard dog.”
Eren eyebrow raised. “That is not a guard dog.”
“It’s the equivalent of it.”
“Levi,” Eren started seriously, putting his hands on his lover’s shoulders as he stared down into Levi’s eyes. “that is not a guard dog. I’m a guard dog. If it’s anything it’s a guard blob.”
“Blob, huh?” Levi snorted, turning to eye his cauldron. “I don’t think it likes that.”
Sure enough, the liquid-that-wasn’t-liquid was shifting restlessly, mouth opening and closing as if in protest. Eren shuddered. “Fine. It’s a guard monster/blob-with-a-mouth/slime ball thing. Happy?”
The guard monster/blob-with-a-mouth/slime ball thing was still for a moment, before with what Eren assumed was a very shoulder-less shrug, it gave a gurgle of consent.
Yeah, definitely creepy.
“Look at you, making friends.” Levi smirked, tugging lightly on one of his ears. “Let’s go get some food.”
“You’re going to leave that there?” Eren asked, allowing himself to be ushered out of the room somewhat reluctantly. “Alone?”
“Yes.” Levi nodded. “You’ll be a good boy won’t you?”
Giving another gurgle, the guard monster/blob-with-a-mouth/slime ball thing (god, Eren should not be allowed to name things) gave an entire body wave, mouth widening impossibly in a frightening smile. Eren was still shivering with the after effects as Levi shut the door, touching a finger to the wood and sending out a ripple of blue magic. Still traumatized by Erwin’s… thing, Eren couldn’t even appreciate the way his eyes flashed brilliant blue, eating up the whites of his eyes for a brief moment. What he did notice however, was that the practically audible sound of the sun sizzling the tiles of the roof had now been overtaken by the steady patter of rain. Shaking his head--and shaking off the last effects of Levi’s newest creation--Eren caught Levi’s hand in his, smiling fondly. “You’re so weird,” he accused, bumping his lover’s hip gently.
Levi’s eyes rolled, the curve of his smile growing with the sound of the rain. “You love it.”
He did.