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“Oh, isn’t it pretty? Look at this beautiful field of snow!” Sasha exclaimed cheerfully, catching the attention of the others who instantly abandoned brooms and mops on the floor, and rushed to the window of the main hall to admire the view.
Eren let out a resigned sigh. He carefully picked up and stored their cleaning tools in the closet, while he kept his own to finish sweeping the dust off the cupboard.
“Eren! Take a break, and come and see. It’s wonderful!”
“Not now, Armin. I need to finish here. I don’t like leaving a job half done.”
Jean huffed, rolling his eyes. “Here he goes again… You know, Eren, you’re sounding more and more like Captain Levi each passing day. Is there something you’re not telling us? You two must spend a lot of time together if he influenced you that much.”
Were he not busy trying so hard not to blush, Eren would have thrown the broom right at his face, if only to make that damn grin disappear. “Shut the hell up, Horse Face!”
He didn’t have time to waste on his stupid teasings. Everything needed to be perfectly clean and tidy before the Captain came back. He had spent the entire day sternly instructing his friends precisely to make sure everything met the Captain’s standards. He simply didn’t want to give him any unnecessary thoughts, especially after what must have been an extremely tiring day. He just wanted to make him happy.
Now that he looked back at the others with the snow falling relentlessly behind their backs, he couldn’t help but feel a spark of concern burning through his veins. Where was the Captain now? Was he okay? He earnestly hoped that such severe weather hadn’t caused any trouble to the expedition.
“Uhm, speaking of the Captain… Do you know if he’s back?”
Mikasa shrugged. “Haven’t seen him. But he should be here by now.”
This did nothing but deepen his disquietude. He did hope he was home safe and sound rather than outside in that kind of bitter cold. But then, wasn’t it strange he didn’t stop and check the tasks he had assigned them? It wasn’t like him…
“Eren! Where are you going?”
“I’ll be right back. I… There’s something important I need to do now.” And with that, he exited the room in haste, leaving his friends muttering, confused. He didn’t care. His sole priority now was to check on his Captain. Nothing else mattered.
Heart thundering in his chest, he rushed to the first floor, walking fast through the corridor leading to the veterans’ quarters. He nervously glanced around to find the one room he was interested in and— There it was. Right in front of him. Well, that was easy.
Hesitant, he raised a hand, trying to keep his anxious breathing at bay. And he knocked.
“Come in”, said an annoyed voice.
Upon hearing that familiar sound he grew to be so fond of, Eren felt a wave of warmth and relief flowing through him, albeit restrained by the poorly concealed hint of fatigue staining his Captain’s usual firm tone.
Now, don’t panic. Maybe it’s just your imagination. The Captain is surely fine, he thought to himself while opening the door, only to be welcomed by a strong sneeze.
Well, then… turned out his concern wasn’t misplaced after all. Damn it.
Eren watched him blowing his nose nearly on autopilot, his eyes not moving an inch from the endless amount of paperwork crowding his desk. “Tch, so gross. What do you want, Four-Eyes? I’m not in the mood for—“
“Captain?” He finally raised his head, meeting Eren’s gaze with a slightly surprised look on his face, and- was there also some kind of softness in his eyes? Nah, this time it truly was just his imagination, he was sure. Simply his mind having fun playing with his feelings, nothing new.
“Oi, Eren. It’s you. Finished cleaning already?”
“Yes, sir! It’s all perfect. You don’t need to worry about anything!”
“Tch! Let me be the judge of that, brat. You know I don’t trust your lazy friends’ cleaning skills,” he muttered, his gaze falling on the papers again. Eren was about to counter, but the Captain added quietly right after, “They’re not as good as you.”
He felt his cheeks getting warmer, his heart pounding so loud he could swear one could have heard it a mile away. The Captain didn’t seem to notice, though. Rather, he looked too pale for Eren’s liking, and even quite distracted—and not by the reports. His eyelids were heavy, his gaze jumping from one paper to the other without much conviction.
“Are you okay, sir?”
“Hm, yeah, yeah… Look, I’m busy with this shit now. So, if you need something, speak n—“ An abrupt fit of coughing cut him off, making Eren rush to his side in an instant.
“Captain, you’re not okay! I think you have a cold.”
“No shit, brat. Now, if you’re done stating the obv— Achoo!“ Here we go again. “Fuck!” He tried to reach his handkerchief, but his hands, arms—damn, his whole body began to shiver violently all of a sudden.
Eren instinctively raised a hand to feel the Captain’s forehead, his chest tightening in anxiety. Warm, as he suspected. Damn it.
“You also have a fever…”
The Captain groaned, barely registering Eren’s touch. “Tch! And what about it? Eren, stop with this nonsense and let me work.”
“Sorry, sir. But work can wait.” On any other occasion, he probably wouldn’t have dared, but in this case he couldn’t care less about the Captain’s reaction. His health came first. And so, he scooped him into his arms, holding him gently in perfect bridal style, and headed towards the bed.
“What the fuck are you doing?! Put me down, you brat!”
“With pleasure, sir!” Eren smiled, gently laying him down and tucking the blanket around him. “Here. Are you warm enough?”
Strangely, the Captain no longer protested nor tried to get up and go back to work. Rather, he sank into the soft wool, grumbling what sounded like a yes. Oh, he looked so small and sweet, wrapped up like that. Yet, as tender as he could be, this vulnerable side of him only deepened Eren’s worry.
“I should call Hanji and let them check on you. Maybe it’s better if you took some medicine now before the fever gets high—“
“Tch, Eren, I’m not dying! Stop fussing. It’ll pass in a few hours. I’ve been through worse, trust me.”
Well, that didn’t remotely ease his concern. True, a cold and a fever weren’t that big of a deal, after all. Yet, no matter what, Eren couldn’t help but care. It ached to see him hurting that way. Well, hurting at all, actually. He just wanted him to be all right. To help him and soothe his pain. Always.
He glanced at the empty tea cup on the nightstand. “Perhaps I could make you another cup of tea,” he suggested, all hopeful, but his merriment was short-lived since it was immediately shut down by another grumpy muttering.
He sighed. “Well, then… I’ll let you rest, sir.”
He was about to walk away, promising himself to go and check on him later, when he felt a sudden grasp on his wrist.
“No. Stay.” Eren turned, his heart skipping a beat. “I’d feel… warmer. With you here.”
Oh.
That was— He didn’t imagine it this time, right? The Captain actually spoke those words!
With his mind still blurred from surprise and excitement, Eren slowly sat on the bed, wondering what kind of position would be more suitable. Feel warmer, he had said. Did he mean it as a simple closeness or maybe—
All his doubts vanished in a flash the moment he felt the Captain’s intense yet delicate gaze on him. His beautiful grey-blue eyes were oh-so bright, shining in a way that reminded him of their first up-close encounter in the dungeons. This time it was somehow different, though. It was a spark, yes, but gentle rather than thrilled. A glint filled with fragility and… need.
Oh, Captain.
Without hesitation, Eren lay down beside him, enveloping him in a strong and warm embrace. He felt as though he were dreaming, lost in his deepest fantasies. He couldn’t believe he was actually there, so close to the man he loved.
“Eren, no.”
His mouth went dry. Did he do something wrong? Perhaps his hold was too tight, or… Could he have misunderstood everything? Oh, damn it.
“I… I’m sorry, I thought—“
“No, I shouldn’t have asked you that. Shit, this way you’ll get sick too. You’d better stay away from me,” he murmured ruefully. He tried to move and escape from the hug, but Eren didn’t let him. Instead, he held him tighter, chuckling softly.
“Eren, damn it! And what are you even laughing at now?
“I don’t care if I get sick, Captain,” Eren said fondly. “I just want you to be okay.”
“Tch, you stubborn brat.” A light blush painted his soft cheeks, and Eren’s eyes widened in awe. Was it just the fever or was the Captain really blushing?
He let out a contented sigh, as they both relaxed in that quiet atmosphere softened even more by the sunset light pouring through the window.
“It’s… kind of you to worry. But it’s just a cold, Eren. Really.”
“And a fever.” Eren frowned. “What the hell were you thinking? Going out with this weather?! That expedition wasn’t even urgent. Damn, that’s so stupid!”
Fuck. Did he really blurt all that out?
This is it. He managed to ruin everything in just a few seconds. Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?! Oh, damn it! It was such a blissful moment, and he completely crushed it. Let alone the fact that he had been way too impudent.
As much as the position they were sharing was quite… intimate, Captain Levi wasn’t his friend. He was his Captain, precisely. He couldn’t speak to him that way. Eren wasn’t Hanji nor the Commander. He was just one of his cadets.
And he bet that even if one of the two told him something like that, they would only provoke a rather annoyed reaction from him. Damn, now the Captain would surely get mad and kick him out. And he’d be right. Eren’s goal was to soothe and comfort him, not upset—
Wait.
Eren blinked, astonished. The Captain was… chuckling? And oh, what a marvellous sound it was.
He instantly lowered his gaze. The sight that presented before his eyes was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. A gorgeous smile was drawn on his Captain’s already wonderful face. His eyes were closed, and his whole features relaxed in a way Eren had never had the luck to witness on him before.
“Are you scolding me now, brat? Since when are the parts reversed?”
Eren’s lips couldn’t help but curve into a heartfelt smile as well. “Sorry. I just think that you should take better care of yourself, Captain.”
“Levi.”
“What?”
“Call me Levi.”
Eren's cheeks were blushing furiously now, his mind a turmoil of thoughts and emotions. He didn’t even have time to process it, though, that another sweet call followed right after. (Wow, he was feeling so spoiled that day.)
“Hmm, Ereeeen?”
“Yes, Capt— Uhm, L-Levi?”
“I feel good… like this. Thank you,” he murmured drowsily while snuggling closer.
Eren felt his heart swelling up, getting lighter and lighter as a new sense of happiness pervaded his entire being.
From the very first moment, it had been Levi to protect and save him from everything. Even from himself. And now… the mere thought that Levi trusted him enough to do the same for him was such an immense and heartwarming feeling Eren couldn’t even describe. Because every adjective, every definition wouldn’t be enough.
And so he simply cuddled him lovingly, putting a gentle kiss on his head as he watched him fall into a deep and peaceful slumber.
“I’ll always be here for you, Levi. I promise.”