Eruri | Let's Try This Again | Reincarnation AU

Chapter 12

Levi, Erwin, Hange, Mike, and Eren split off from the rest of the group to enter their apartment. Once there, Hange and Mike wished them luck and went to their separate rooms to give the trio privacy. "Alright, any side effects?" Erwin asked, as he sat down at the kitchen table.

"Well, it's a lot of information to take in at once. Zeke screamed a lot but I don't think he was in pain, just shock. And then he passed out. He was also super weak for the next couple days, but that was it."

Levi stiffened. That was quite the detail he had left out before. "Anything else you'd like to tell us? I hope you know what'll happen if this goes wrong," he threatened, and Eren nodded sincerely.

"Well, I suppose I should say that this is probably a one-way-street. I don't know if I'll be able to take your memories away again, so make sure you want this."

"I want this," Erwin said confidently, without hesitation.

"Alright. Ready, Sir?" Eren asked and Erwin nodded.

Eren stepped closer to Erwin and put his hands on his head. Suddenly Erwin dug his nails into the table and his body pitched forward as he doubled over, staring at the floor, eyes blown wide open in shock. It all came back to him. Not like a wave, sweeping him out to sea like he had expected. No, this felt like getting hit by a train before you even realize you're standing on the tracks.

"Erwin?" He heard Levi call desperately, but it sounded distant, like he was miles away.

"Erwin?!" Levi tried again, louder this time, and shook him gently. That snapped Erwin back to reality. He gasped and fell out of the chair, clutching at the shins of Levi's pants like a lifeline, and leaned his head into Levi's legs as he stared at the floor, breathing heavily.

"Levi... Levi, I'm so sorry."

"What? Erwin, what are you saying?" Levi asked, genuinely confused.

"Levi, I used you. I was horrible to you. I'm so, so sorry."

Erwin was still on the ground in front of the standing Levi, and suddenly he felt sick. This wasn't right. He was supposed to be the one bowing to Erwin, not the other way around. He dropped to the ground and pulled Erwin's head to his chest, running his hand through his hair in a way he hoped was comforting.

"You didn't use me. I fought for you out of my own free will. I fought for your dreams, even if you believed them selfish, and I don't regret that. I never will."

Erwin pressed his head into Levi's chest, raising his hand in front of his face so he could look at it miserably.

"Levi, how could you say that... There's so much blood on my hands. So many of our comrades died due to my orders. It's all my fault," he said shakily.

Eren drew in his breath sharply, and Levi suddenly remembered he was in the room. "Get out," he said lowly. Eren had never seen his Commander like this. He would never have guessed that he carried such guilt, but Levi didn't seem surprised. Instead, he seemed like he knew this would happen, and had been dreading it. The Commander he had respected and followed into battle was now sitting on the ground, shaking in Levi's arms.

Still, he was faring much better than Zeke had, and honestly, Eren had expected worse. It made sense that Erwin was stronger than Zeke, Eren reasoned, but still couldn't shake his shock at seeing his commander look so vulnerable.

"I said get out," Levi repeated, his tone becoming dangerous and Eren shivered. He simply nodded, having been beaten half to death by Levi too many times to question him, and closed the door noiselessly on his way out.