Eruri | Beyond the Walls

Chapter 4

~Day 4~

"Wake up, blondie, we need to start fixing your gear." Erwin opened his eyes groggily, his head spinning with the events of the previous day. He might have thought it was a dream if it wasn't for Levi leaning a bit closer than he usually would.

"Okay. Thank you for taking care of me," Erwin teased, and Levi wore the tiniest smile at that.

"Anytime. Now get your shit together. I've got Elias's ODM gear here so put your brain back in your head and let's get moving."

"Okay, okay," Erwin grumbled, secretly enjoying Levi's abrasiveness.

Levi pulled at Elias's ODM gear, taking off the strap that Erwin had broken. It was still in good condition, so he quickly set to work replacing it.

"You know," Levi said, trying to make conversation as took off the broken strap, "Shadis is scared of you."

Erwin raised an eyebrow. "You think so?"
"He knows it's only a matter of time before you become commander. He knows you want the position and you'll do anything to get what you want."

"You think he's scared I'll assassinate him?" Erwin wondered. He had never seen perfectly eye to eye with the man, but he could sympathize (although not yet empathize) with the amount of stress and weight he carried.

"No, no, it's more like he's intimidated," Levi replied "He has to rely on you so much that you basically already are the commander in everything but the title. He's just a figurehead and he knows it- yet there's nothing he can do about it but quit."

Erwin laughed lightly, shaking his head. "Shadis has my full respect and his title as commander is perfectly valid."
"Don't bullshit me, Erwin," Levi said, rolling his eyes and pausing the work on his leg to fiddle with Erwin's collar. "There's no one here to eavesdrop on us and if you're doubting my loyalty at this point I would ask you to share whatever you're smoking."

Erwin laughed louder at that, grinning like an idiot. "You're right, of course you're right." He shook his head as if to clear it. "Shadis is getting tired. Very tired. Actually, this batched mission may even be the tipping point for him. I've mentioned offhandedly in the past that the Cadet Corps is in need of a commander. I think it's a good place for him- he wouldn't be running away but he wouldn't have to deal with titans. And he could still be in a respectable position of power."

Levi smirked, and Erwin brought his hand up to trace the rare expression with his thumb.

"How kind of you to find a retirement home for him."

Erwin merely chuckled and pressed their lips together, chaste but lingering. "Can we keep doing this?" Levi asked. "You know, once we get back."

"That depends... we'll have to work hard not to get caught. If you're serious about this, and we get into an actual relationship, it could end up being spectacular blackmail for our enemies."

Levi frowned. "Well then I suppose I'd have to advise against anything serious."

"Is that what you want?"

"No."

Erwin sighed, dejected. "I'm torn, Levi. I want to be with you, but I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn't leave behind a widow."

Levi raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms in annoyance. "Jumping straight to marriage, are we?"

"You know that's not what I meant," Erwin pleaded, but Levi just scoffed.

"Just don't marry me and I won't be your widower. I'm making the decision. Let's take a gamble with this, and maybe we can have a little dose of peace before we die."