Danger Day pt 2: The Levi Squad

My longest day

Eren POV
“Eren?” the voice sounded almost unsure. It still made me flinch inwardly to hear it. I turned to face my father. Hange and the others were farther up the hill. I guess I had been dragging behind hoping Levi would have come out to fill me in on just what the hell was going on.
“What can I help you with, Doctor?” I asked using my best military tone.
“Cut the act. We both know you are only doing this to be with him." He snarled. Chuckling I moved a step towards him.
“Due to your little agreement with my high school boyfriend, I couldn’t see or talk to him until after I decided to stay on. That decision was made, in order to stay away from you.” I spat. “Even now I can barely stand looking at you. The rage, depression, fear I feel every time I see your face makes me sick.” He took a step back.
“I, uh…”
“Don’t just don’t.” I turned to follow my unit.
“Eren wait, your mother, she asked me to give you this.” Turning back, I saw he held out a sealed envelope. It didn’t matter that it was sealed. I was sure he had read every word in it. After all it was him who taught me how to steam them open and reseal them. There had been a time that I did love him. He had been a great dad. Teaching me things, letting me work beside him, that all changed around the time I turned eight or so. I took the paper.
“Why do you hate me?” I blurted out. He jerked his hand back.
“Eren, I don’t…”
“No, you do. Ever since Mikasa came to live with us.” I shook my head. “It’s hard for me not to hate her sometimes. How she ruined my life.” I shrugged. “Whatever. I have training." I turned away again.
“I had another son. One that was taken from me. Him, along with his mother were killed in front of my eyes. He was ten when it happened…” his voice trailed away. This was news to me. I didn’t know what to say. “Mikasa coming to stay, had nothing to do with my treatment of you.” He sounded tired.
“Why are you here? Today now, why?” I asked without turning to look at him.
“I don’t know, Eren.”  Peeking over my shoulder I saw him run a weary hand over his face. “My mentor usually does these things. He fell ill a few days ago. Asked if I could help him out. I got vetted through all the channels.” He shrugged again. We stood in silence for a long time. The wind sang around us. No other sound was heard out here. No birds, no animals, just the wind and his slightly labored breathing.
“You should stay for the demonstration. It will be the first time we use the fully functional weapons.” I whispered before turning on my heal and marching up the hill. I passed Hange who was hiding just inside the tree line at the top.
“Eves dropping isn’t nice.” I said as I walked by.
“Getting murdered by a three-foot midget with anger issues isn’t either.” They answered. I chuckled.
“He isn’t three feet…” we looked at each other, a smile playing along our lips.
“I was worried, and a little bit curious.” They said. I punched them lightly in the arm.
“Come on, we have to oversee the kids.” I stated. Their laugh followed me the rest of the way. At the top of the incline there was an opening in the trees. I looked back. Dad was walking off toward the main compound once more. I briefly wondered how he got away from Armin, Mikasa and Jean, before realizing, Bertolt had been with him. I was sure the tall gangly teen had created a diversion.
Hange showed us the critical points. Where the humans would be observing from. It was also drilled into us any openings for attack, hiding places for another unit, flight patterns for the units. Yes, the could sort of fly. It was more like long jumping. Once done we separated for lunch. After that it would be the demonstration.
Dad was talking with Mikasa as I entered the lunch room. There was no sign of Levi. Erwin sat at the head table with Hange. I moved to get my food. As I was going to take my usual place at a table with Jean and Marco, Erwin’s voice called out.
“Eren.” I turned he motioned for me to come sit beside him. In the chair our missing captain typically occupied. I strolled over. Dad sat down on Erwin’s other side.
“You should watch the weapons demonstration today. See what the units, and our newest Lieutenant is capable of.” Erwin greeted the doctor.
“Unlike you, I know what Eren can do. He always surrounded himself with people that would make him look ordinary, the boy is anything but.” My father stated pouring salt over his food.
“The boy is no longer a boy.” Erwin observed.
“Don’t fear, Commander. I will pass them all.” Dad told him. We ate in silence. Levi never making an appearance.
“Sir, please make sure he eats.” I whispered to Erwin as I rose to take care of my things. A slight nod was my only answer. I felt just left of center without seeing Levi for most of the day. When I thought about seeing how him and Mikasa were so close in the hall, a pit formed in my stomach. I was tired of others fighting for me.
We met in the lab. Hange gave us flame retardant suits. They were white with the colors of our units on the shoulders. Mine had a gold bar and one star on the pocket to indicate I was the leader. We pulled on the stiff gloves before entering our units. The bay doors opened as we connected.
Walking out I felt like I was on display. It wasn’t just because I was the leader of this unit, but I knew he was watching. I didn’t know if he was in the bunker or somewhere else, but I could feel his eyes on me.
My unit was in fine shape. It moved with my every thought. We rolled, fired, jumped flew, tested every weapon on each unit. It was really fun watching things explode. When done all we heard was a terse, “Good job.” Over our com units from Commander Erwin. We went inside.
After a quick shower, I sat down on my bed. Pulling out the envelope.
“Dearest son, I love you.” It started.
“Eren, I know we have all made mistakes as a family. Maybe I wasn’t strong enough to keep you safe. That is my biggest regret. You have always been the best thing that came out of this life. I will never regret having you. That said, there are things you need to know:
One, I’m dying. I have been since before you were born. It was how I met your father. With his knowledge and medical training, he has been able to keep me stable. Who knows how much longer that can last?
2. I am so very proud of you.  How you changed into the beginning of a great man. I see it every time I see you, the changes. They make me proud to know my life had a meaning. Even if it was only to bring you into this world.
3. I swear someday I will tell you (the paper ended. I flipped it over, she never wrote on the back of paper. Flipping to the second sheet)
5. I will love you from the day you were born until the day I draw my last breath. You are the light I have always wanted for you to become. Learn to love someone. I don’t care if it is that boy your father found you with. Just learn to love. That’s my wish for you.
I love you forever, my beautiful son.
Mom
It ended like that. I searched the envelope, the floor under the bed anywhere another sheet of paper could have slipped to. There was nothing there. He had taken it, but why. What had she wanted to tell me someday? What was this illness she had? Ugh I felt like tearing the paper up.
I knew I wouldn’t. This had her handwriting on it. It was neat and pretty. I had always loved how artistic her handwriting looked. After replacing the papers into the envelope, I put them in my drawer.  At dinner, Erwin informed me dad had left. Levi was still not visible.
I met with Hange to go over a training regimen for the units and their pilots. We decided on physical training of each pilots body, a mental training and a skill training with the unit. We would meet with each pilot once a week to ensure nothing odd was going on with the nodes. Hange informed me she would be keeping a daily log on me. I thanked her.
Finally, my duties were done. There was only one place I wanted to be now. I knocked on his door. “It's open.” His sweet voice called out. I pushed the door inward. His tired eyes looked up at me from the other side of his desk. I only wanted to feel him in my arms.
I marched forward pulling him out of his chair. He still held the pen he had been writing with in his hand. Hugging him I buried my head into the space between his shoulder and head. Breathing in the scent of him, outdoorsy, fresh and clean, I felt my worries lessen. My muscles relaxed. I hadn’t even known how tight they were. All day I had been on edge.
“Eren?” He began.
“I love you, Levi. No matter what else my life throws at me, know that I love you.” I said lifting my head to peer into his slate grey eyes. A soft twitch of his lips, what passed as a smile for him, lightened up his face.
“I love you as well.” He said. Our mouth moved towards each other as if they were pulled on a string. I kissed him. This right here, was what I lived for.
When we separated, I asked, “Can I sleep here tonight?” a puzzled expression flashed across his face.
“Since when do you ask?” He demanded. I shook my head.
“No, I, Levi, I just want to sleep with you in my arms, please?” I was practically begging him. Usually, I only came to his room for sex. We would fall asleep together afterwards, but never had I come just to sleep with him. I didn’t want sex, not tonight. I was too emotionally and physically drained.
Levi was looking at me as if I were some sort of pet that just peed in his favorite pair of shoes. With a heavy sigh I pushed away from him. What was I thinking? I muttered. The guy barely slept as it was. Maybe I should just go for a run. As I began to turn away, already deciding my request was going to be denied, a strong hand caught my wrist.
“Where are you going?” his voice was so low I hardly heard it.
“Maybe a run, maybe work out in the gym. I don’t know. Someplace where it will just utterly exhaust me.” I answered, trying to pull free. The pen clattering to the table had me glancing back. I saw nothing but darkness as Levi flung his arms around my waist. His head butted my chest making my breath whoosh out.
“No, stay, please.” His muffled voice came from my sternum. I kissed the top of his head. Picking him up I carried him, wrapped around me, into the bedroom. I shut off the lights, pulling back the blankets. We fell together on the bed. The longest day of my life ended in the arms of the man I swore I would love until I died.