The Transtempus Penalty (ERERI//RIREN)

Chapter 47

Hey losers. Posting a pre-written chapter, cuz I still don't have Wi-Fi, but hopefully I'll be moved out soon and will once again have Wi-Fi. Hope y'all like the chapter. It's a little toxic, but when are these two not? Plus this may not even be the end of it... dun-Dun-DUN! Ttyl.

Vee.

There was no way for me to know that Levi wouldn’t just reach behind him and take the knife again, but something told me that I was through the worst of the storm, and could shift my attention to his left brain.

His breathing continued to grow more even, and there was a moment when I could tell his eyes finally focused on me. I had my hand wrapped firmly around the scruff of his neck, and was using the other to feel for dirt in his hair, picking it out bit by bit.

“Eren. When you say everything, what do you mean?” He asked suddenly, his eyes searching mine for something, though I couldn’t have said what.

“I’ll tell you the truth, Levi. Who I am, why I’m here, and how it all managed to get so damn complicated,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“Is it really that complicated?” he asked, punctuating his words with a sad laugh.

“Well, worse,” I shrugged in response, latching onto the concord in his voice, hoping that if I got his information center working fast enough, he wouldn’t have another outburst. “But if you wanna wait and find out when you’re older, this is your last chance.”

“What do you mean, when I’m older?” Levi asked. “Is this some kind of cryptic life advice?”

“Why don’t we go sit down, okay? Put the knife under the spigot so we can rinse it off, and we can get to that part later,” I suggested, pointing towards the knife, glimmering from the dirt.

“You trust me to take the knife?” he asked. “Aren’t you afraid?”

“Levi, I’m not afraid of anything,” I answered, rising to my feet and handing him the blade myself. “I know you can do this. Go put the knife under the spigot.”

Without another word, Levi staggered up the bank of the dry riverbed and stuck the knife into the cracked clay beside the spigot. Then, he made way for the ajar mouth of his dark home.

“I think not,” I said, a sternness injected into my voice to cover up the spike in my blood pressure. “Come back here.”

“I’m just going to get a flashlight,” Levi assuaged me, wiggling his fingers before disappearing into the train car. A small click resounded in the metal box that Levi lived in, and suddenly, that dark car was filled with light.

Levi dropped from the train car with his empty hands exposed for me to see. The flashlight was still inside. “I got nothing in my hands,” he said, drawing closer. “If you want, you can check my pockets, too. But I was thinking we talk in there?”

“Are you sure you can handle that?” I asked, hoping that I would see the light of day, but not entirely counting on it. 

“I’ll be okay. Honest. Cross my heart,” Levi answered. Slowly, I began to nod at him while I made up my mind.

“Okay. I’m not gonna check your pockets,” I scoffed. “Instead, I’m gonna believe you, whether you’re lying or not, and leave it up to you to be honest with me, like I’m about to be with you.” Hobbling past him, it took considerable effort to climb up into the boxcar, but I made it.

“Did I-” Levi stuttered, staring at me like I’d just keeled over and died.“Are you hurt?”

“It wasn’t you, but all that wrestling sure didn’t help, champ,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.